Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing insurance for mine workers in Nigeria.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, during a condolence visit to Niger State governor, Hon. Umar Bago, in Minna over the recent collapse of a mine pit in Galadima Kogo, Shiroro Local Government Area, which claimed one life with many miners trapped.
According to the minister, who represented President Bola Tinubu at the visit, the incident is unfortunate and avoidable.
“Though we learned the disaster was due to heavy downpour, we are committed to intensifying the monitoring of mining operations to ensure conformity to environmental standards,” Alake said.
The minister commended the state government for swiftly mobilising emergency rescue operations in collaboration with federal agencies, stressing that all efforts must be made to rescue those still trapped.
To enhance safety measures and provide relief to miners and their families in the event of accidents, the minister declared that insurance policies for miners across the country would be enforced.
He also reaffirmed the federal government’s stance that remediation plans must accompany mining license applications, adding that irresponsible mining operations posing threats to the environment and communities will no longer be tolerated.
In his response, Governor Bago expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the condolence visit and emphasised the need for a concerted effort between the federal government and sub-nationals to ensure mining companies comply with safety standards.
He advocated the strengthening of collaborative measures to enhance periodic monitoring and evaluation of the environmental impact of mining operations to minimize recurrence of the unfortunate incident.
