-in response to Mohamed’s allegations
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has not denied allegations by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed that members of his family hold thousands of acres of prime gold-mining lands but maintains that the lands were acquired through lawful procedures established by the relevant authorities.
Mohamed had released a video statement stating that the minister’s sons and daughter-in-law had acquired the said lands while “local miners who applied decades ago are yet to receive a claim, much less a block.”
“We must question this travesty regarding how prime mining lands are allocated and the level of transparency within the approval process at the GGMC (Guyana Geology and Mines Commission), particularly in relation to the Minister of Agriculture and his family,” Mohamed had expressed.
He alleged that the minister’s daughter-in-law received 2,867 acres across three blocks, while one son was granted 2,349 acres across two blocks and another son received 2,398 acres across two blocks.
In response, the minister charged that the allegations are “wild and unsubstantiated.”
“All of my sons mining lands were acquired through the lawful procedures established by the relevant authorities responsible for the allocation of mining properties. Those allocations were made by the competent agencies acting within their statutory authority, and his business operations are conducted within the legal framework governing the mining sector,” Mustapha shared.
“Every Guyanese has the right to apply for gold-mining properties, provided they comply with the law, pay the required fees and make the necessary investments. That right is available to all citizens on equal terms. My children have been engaged in medium-scale mining for several years. Their participation in the sector has been conducted openly and in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations,” he continued.
He also sought to address Mohamed’s allegation that the lands owned by the minister’s family are leased to foreign mining tycoons “so the Mustaphas can get major …rentals.”
“That allegation is false. Significantly, despite making such a serious accusation, he has failed to identify a single foreign company or produce any evidence to support that claim,” the minister argued, adding, “If Azruddin Mohamed genuinely believes that any law has been broken by me or any member of my family, then…he should submit whatever evidence he claims to possess to the competent authorities so that they can investigate and, if warranted, take the appropriate action.”
Meanwhile, in his video statement, Mohamed pointed out the plight of small miners as he compared the treatment that they receive to that being granted the Mustaphas whom he said only started in the business a few years ago. “Local miners are treated unfairly. They were chased off of mining lands. They were arrested. Their equipment was seized and is yet to be returned. Their camps burned down. They were forced to shut down, resulting in millions in losses. The ministers do not care about small miners,” he expressed.
“Many small-scale Guyanese miners reported to us that they are unable to obtain access to prime land blocks. In several cases, miners claim they are removed from or denied access to areas they have traditionally worked. If a small miner finds large amounts of gold on state lands, the (government officials) then find a big businessman that can front for him or her, put the miner off the land, and grant access to the block themselves indirectly,” Mohamed alleged.
The Opposition Leader said the allocation of mining lands raised questions about accountability in the management of Guyana’s natural resources and whether due process was being followed. He argued that the country’s natural resources should be managed in the national interest, ensuring that ordinary Guyanese miners are not disadvantaged while others, including foreigners, benefit through connections or influence.
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