GOLD RIDGE MINE COMMUNITY PLANS TO BOYCOTT CHUPU
Gold Ridge Mining Limited billboard. Photo credit: SIBC.
The Gold Ridge Community says it will boycott a chupu ceremony the St Barbara company has organized for tomorrow.
Spokesperson for the Gold Ridge People’s Power Pibson Nunua says, the community was informed the company will be presenting over 40 chupus to landowners in a bid to resume operations at the Gold Ridge Mine after abandoning the mine during the April flash flood.
But Mr Nunua says, the chupu ceremony will not be attended nor respected.
He says, the Gold Ridge community have been receiving chupus from successive mining companies and government since mining operation started on Goldridge yet nothing was done to improve company obligations towards the people whose land has been mined.
Another Gold Ridge leader told SIBC News this morning, the community will only accept the company addressing issues such as meeting outstanding royalty payments, water supply and build schools for their children.
He adds, water supply became a huge problem for the relocation settlement when the company temporarily shut down during the April Flash Floods.
The leader says, the land on which Gold Ridge communities relocated to is yet to be bought off from the landowning tribes. As such, settlers receive frequent threats from landowners to vacate the relocation sites.