By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — The Senate has urged the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, to conduct an audit of licensed miners and their areas of operation across the country to strengthen monitoring and regulation of mining activities.
The upper chamber also called for the establishment of a statutory Mining Workers’ Compensation Scheme, to be funded through mandatory contributions by licensed mining operators, to provide compensation for occupational injuries, permanent disabilities, occupational diseases and deaths arising from mining activities.
The resolutions were reached on Wednesday following the consideration of a motion titled: “Urgent Need to Address the Escalating Safety Risks, Environmental Hazards and Humanitarian Concerns Arising from Unsafe Coal Mining Activities in Ankpa and Other Coal-Bearing Communities in Kogi State.”
The motion was sponsored by Senator Isah Jibrin (APC, Kogi East) under matters of urgent national importance.
