On Friday, July 3, 2026, a climate of protest prevailed in front of the sub-prefecture of Ganaoni, in the department of Boundiali. Youth and women's associations, as well as the traditional chieftaincy of the localities of Ganaoni, Zanga, and Nangakaha, joined forces to express their strong opposition to the launch of a public inquiry related to a semi-industrial gold mining project.

A 99-hectare project that is causing concern

The anger of the locals stems from an administrative process initiated by Bamba Moussa, promoter of the company Fokpo Mine , in order to obtain the rights to exploit a gold deposit covering 99.17 hectares .

Faced with this prospect, local communities fear seeing their environment and social cohesion disrupted without having had any say in the matter.

The absolute necessity of an inclusive dialogue

The protesters say they are not opposed to the project, but demand the immediate halt of the administrative process until a compromise is reached. They are calling for the signing of a formal memorandum of understanding clearly defining the company's commitments regarding local development and sustainability.

Several community representatives spoke out to justify this movement:

1. Bamba Sibiri (spokesperson for the land chiefs): He recalled that no exploitation of this scale can start without consulting the first occupants of the land, stressing that the State itself encourages customary chiefs not to cede land for private interests.
2. Bamba Adama (youth president): He advocated for a suspension of the investigation in order to prioritize dialogue. "Our ambition is not to drive out the company. But it must first sign an inclusive memorandum of understanding that takes into account the interests of all the people," he clarified.
3. Koné Tiéwa (representative of women): She warned of emerging tensions within families and stressed the need for written guarantees to preserve the future of the community.
4. Bamba Lassana (chief of the intermediate canton): While acknowledging that a mine can be an economic lever, he strongly regretted the total lack of prior consultation with local opinion leaders.

The administration's response

Facing the crowd, the sub-prefect of Ganaoni, N'Douba Benjamin , attempted to quell the discontent. He urged the demonstrators to formally record all their objections with the appointed investigating commissioner, Coulibaly Adama, within the legal framework of the ongoing investigation. The administrative authority also assured them that the administrative procedure was currently proceeding calmly and legally.