Niger mine collapse: Minister vows to enforce miners’ insurance policies

• Condolences to the victims’ families

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to enforce insurance policies for mine workers in Nigeria.

Representing President Bola Tinubu during a condolence visit to the Governor of Niger State, Umar Bago in Minna, Ala., he conveyed condolences to the President over the recent mine collapse in Galadima Kogo, Shiroro Local Council.

“I express my condolences and condolences to the President to the families of the victims, the injured, the entire community, as well as the government and people of Niger State over the mine collapse. This is unfortunate and avoidable. While we have learned that heavy rainfall was the cause of the disaster, we are committed to intensifying monitoring of mining activities to ensure compliance with environmental standards.”

The minister praised the state government for quickly mobilizing rescue operations in cooperation with federal agencies, stressing that every effort must be made to rescue those still trapped.

To increase safety measures and provide assistance to miners and their families in the event of accidents, Alake declared the introduction of insurance policies for miners throughout the country.

He also emphasized the Federal Government’s position that remediation plans must accompany mining permit applications, stating that irresponsible mining activities that pose risks to the environment and communities will no longer be tolerated.

“We also need to implement contingency plans to mitigate the impact of natural disasters on mining areas. For example, introducing the obligation to install support poles under embankments. This practice is common in other countries,” he added.

In response, the Governor of Niger Bago State expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his condolence visit and stressed the need for concerted efforts between the federal government and local governments to ensure mining companies comply with safety standards.

He advocated strengthening collective measures to improve periodic monitoring and assessment of the environmental impact of mining activities to minimize the recurrence of the unfortunate event.

Citing the state’s preponderance of commercially viable critical minerals, Governor Bago urged the federal government to focus on making the state a hub for the development of the country’s mining sector.

Recall that on Monday, the mining site collapsed, resulting in the death of one person and many people being trapped.

Niger State Police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun confirmed that 20 people were initially trapped but six were rescued alive.