Georgetown, Guyana – July 17, 2026 – In a fiery and potentially explosive revelation that has sent shockwaves through the political and mining sectors, Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed has leveled a series of serious corruption allegations against Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha and his family.
In a recent video statement on social media, Mohamed alleges a systematic manipulation of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) allocation process. He claims the Mustafa family; who he describes as having no mining background and only “started navigating Georgetown after 2020”, has been granted thousands of acres of prime gold mining lands, while local small-scale miners who applied decades ago are left empty-handed .
According to Mohamed, the allocation figures are staggering. He alleged specific grants to Dr. Vashni Ganeshnath (daughter-in-law): 2,867 acres (3 blocks), Javed Mustafa (son): 2,349 acres (2 blocks) and Zahid Mustafa (other son): 2,398 acres (2 blocks).
The Opposition Leader painted a picture of a system rigged in favor of the politically connected. “They were granted thousands of acres through the close area committee with just a phone call,” Mohamed alleges . He further claimed these lands are not being worked by the family but are leased to “foreign mining tycoons,” allowing the family to collect major kickbacks and rentals.
Mohamed drew a sharp contrast between the treatment of the Mustafa family and the struggles of ordinary Guyanese miners. He claimed small miners have been “chased off of mining lands, arrested, their equipment seized, and their camps burned down,” resulting in millions in losses .
He alleges a “trickery in GGMC” where, if a small miner strikes gold on state lands, the “ministers then find a big businessman” to force the miner off and indirectly grant access to politically connected figures . This echoes widespread concerns about land tenure and transparency in the sector .
The allegations come as Minister Mustapha faces continued scrutiny over his personal and family assets. The Minister has consistently dismissed similar accusations as “politically, legally and personally motivated attacks built on innuendo, distortion and speculation” .
In previous statements addressing Mohamed’s claims, Mustapha has defended his wealth and property, pointing to over 35 years of public service and regular declarations to the Integrity Commission . He has also characterized Mohamed’s accusations as part of a “personal vendetta” stemming from a business dispute involving his son, Javed Mustapha .
These allegations are the latest in a series of explosive claims by the opposition leader, who has previously challenged the government on a range of issues, including subsidies and the rapid accumulation of wealth by public officials . Mohamed’s accusations touch upon the highly sensitive issue of gold mining, a sector crucial to Guyana’s economy, now further buoyed by record-high gold prices, which he notes are “nearly 4000 U.S. dollars per ounce” .
Mohamed has called for Minister Mustapha’s resignation, framing the issue as a stark example of the “corruption” under the PPP administration . “When the PPP is finished, we won’t have anything left for the ordinary Guyanese,” he warned .
The government is yet to respond to the specific allegations of land allocation raised in the Leader of the Opposition’s latest video. However, the Ministry of Natural Resources has recently announced a “Troy-like” initiative to allocate up to 50-acre parcels to small-scale miners in Regions One, Seven, and Eight , a move they claim reinforces transparency and access for small miners, though critics may view this as a belated response to widespread discontent.
As Guyana’s gold sector continues to boom, the question remains; is this a case of political mudslinging, or does it expose a deep-rooted culture of patronage and corruption that is locking ordinary citizens out of their nation’s wealth? The calls for a transparent and independent investigation are likely to grow louder.
