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Guinea has suspended artisanal gold and diamond mining since July 1, 2024. This measure by the transitional government affects all economic activities in the sub-district of Kintinian, Siguiri province. Gold sellers are in unprecedented desperation. Guineematin.com reports through its special correspondent that they are asking for an exemption from this measure.
Mamadi Doumbouya, a gold seller I met in Bouré Kintinian, described the consequences of this measure.
“We depend on gold miners. If they don’t work, we can’t live. Secondly, these gold miners are taking our money. Most of the gold sellers work with the bosses. When people take our money, the activity stops. Everything here is about money. We are really worried. This is not our wish, people are just complaining. We will be very happy if the president relaxes this measure.”
Cabinet Minister Kabinet Sylla, also a gold seller, asked authorities to support the farmers.
“If the gold miners don’t work, we can’t earn gold. We have been living on this for years. Before, the gold miners went to the fields voluntarily during the rainy season, but if the government forces them, some will hide in the mines. I ask the government to reduce the price of fertilizers and herbicides so that people can voluntarily cultivate the fields. The residents here are mostly foreigners who live their daily lives. The suspension of artisanal gold mining has increased unemployment. The government must cancel this measure, otherwise it will not be good,” he said.
Sadan Mady Camara, a seller who found gold at his shop in Setigia, requested an exemption from the moratorium on artisanal gold mining.
“All those who are engaged in business make their living in the gold mines. I ask the transitional authorities to have mercy on the people and let them work. It is very painful to stop activities related to gold mining. If the government maintains this decision, it is bound to have an impact on the businessmen in Siguiri. Citizens are indeed suffering and we need to tell each other the truth,” he confided.
Moussa Keita had the same thing to say when asked. “We are the financiers of almost all mining activities. The gold miners who work with us earn their daily living. We have an obligation to support them financially because it is not working. It is really tiring for us. We were very surprised by this move by the government. We are suffering more than others. This decision was made when we invested our money in mining activities. We can no longer receive our money because the gold miners are no longer working. It is a huge loss. We ask the authorities to readjust the measures so that we can live a normal life. Here in Quintinian, we no longer have anywhere to go to farm. SAG has bought all the arable land and we have nowhere to go,” he stressed.
By Kintinian (Siguiri), Kaïn Naboun TRAORÉ Guineematin.com
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