The Senate has called for more stringent safety measures and operational regulations on mining activities in the country.
The Senate’s resolution came as a result of a motion sponsored by Senator Muhammad Sani Musa of Niger East, in response to Sunday’s collapse of a gold mining site in Farin Doki, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
The site, operated by African Mineral and Logistics Ltd, collapsed on over 50 miners during a downpour, burying about 30 of them.
Senator Sani Musa, who moved the motion, drew the attention of the Red Chamber to the severity of the incident.
He called for a thorough investigation to identify any existing lapses related to safety regulations and their enforcement in the sector.
The Senate asked the Federal Government to introduce safety measures in the mining sector in line with international best practices, including deploying adequate security apparatuses in mining communities.
The Senate, while commending the Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake, for his response to the incident, also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies to expedite the recovery of the remains of the deceased to provide the bereaved families with final closure.
It further mandated its Committee on Solid Minerals to conduct an on the spot assessment of the site to ascertain the cause of the incident and accelerate the passage of the Mine Ranger .
The Senate asked the Federal Government to introduce safety measures in the mining sector in line with international best practices, including deploying adequate security apparatuses in mining communities.
Bashir M
