The Senate has urged the Federal Government to conduct a nationwide audit of all licensed miners and their areas of operation as part of efforts to strengthen the regulation and monitoring of mining activities across Nigeria.
Lawmakers also called for the establishment of a statutory compensation scheme for mining workers, funded through mandatory contributions from licensed mining operators.
According to the Senate, the proposed scheme would provide financial support for miners who suffer occupational injuries, permanent disabilities, occupational diseases, as well as the families of workers who lose their lives during mining operations.
The resolutions followed growing concerns over the increasing number of mine collapses, landslides and other mining accidents, which have claimed several lives and left many victims without adequate compensation or rehabilitation.
Leading the debate, Senator Isah Jibrin noted that many families of deceased miners and workers who sustain life-changing injuries are often left without any form of social protection despite the significant revenue generated from Nigeria’s mining sector.
The Senate warned that unsafe mining practices and unstable geological conditions, particularly in the Ankpa Coal Block in Kogi State, could lead to more fatalities, environmental damage and the destruction of valuable mining assets if urgent action is not taken.
To improve safety in the sector, lawmakers urged the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, to introduce a compulsory occupational accident insurance scheme covering all categories of miners, including artisanal and small-scale miners.
The Senate also recommended the creation of a Mine Rehabilitation and Victims Support Fund to provide emergency medical treatment, rehabilitation services, compensation for injured miners, educational support for children of deceased miners and livelihood assistance for affected families.
In addition, the Senate mandated its Committees on Solid Minerals Development, Environment, Labour, Employment and Productivity, and Health to work with relevant ministries and agencies to ensure the implementation of the resolutions and report back within six weeks.
