Jane Salihu
The Senate has taken decisive steps to improve safety standards in Nigeria’s mining sector, urging the Federal Government to implement comprehensive reforms aimed at protecting miners and preventing future disasters following the recent landslide that claimed 20 lives in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Isah Jibrin (APC, Kogi East), who called attention to the increasing safety, environmental and humanitarian risks associated with coal mining activities in Ankpa and other mining communities in the state.
Leading the debate, Senator Jibrin described coal mining as a major economic activity in communities such as Enjema, Okaba and Ikah, as well as parts of Omala and Olamaboro Local Government Areas within the Ankpa Coal Block of the Anambra Basin. He, however, noted that the area’s fragile geological formation makes it highly susceptible to landslides and ground collapse, particularly when mining operations are carried out without adequate safety measures.
He recalled that on July 14, 2026, a landslide at Alufele in Enjema District trapped artisanal and small-scale miners underground, resulting in the deaths of 20 miners and injuries to several others, while heavy-duty trucks reportedly sank into mining pits during loading operations.
According to the lawmaker, many of the accidents recorded in the area are linked to unsafe mining methods, including the use of the room-and-pillar extraction system without sufficient structural reinforcement, as well as the siting of loading points too close to unstable mining pits.
Jibrin also expressed concern over the welfare of artisanal miners, many of whom operate without formal employment, health insurance, life insurance or occupational hazard protection, leaving victims of mining accidents and their families without adequate compensation or support.
To strengthen safety across the mining sector, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, through its Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Department (ASMD), to undertake a nationwide audit of licensed miners and their operational sites to enhance monitoring and regulatory compliance.
The upper chamber also called for the establishment of a statutory Mining Workers’ Compensation Scheme, funded through mandatory contributions from licensed mining operators, to provide financial support for occupational injuries, permanent disabilities, occupational diseases and deaths resulting from mining activities.
In addition, lawmakers urged the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), in collaboration with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, to develop compulsory occupational accident insurance for all categories of miners, including artisanal and small-scale operators working under recognised cooperatives and community mining arrangements.
The Senate further recommended the creation of a Mine Rehabilitation and Victims Support Fund to provide emergency medical care, rehabilitation services, compensation for injured miners, educational support for children of deceased miners and livelihood assistance for affected families.
To ensure effective implementation of the resolutions, the Senate mandated its Committees on Solid Minerals Development, Environment, Labour, Employment and Productivity, and Health to engage the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies and report back within six weeks.
The chamber also observed a minute’s silence in honour of the 20 miners who lost their lives in the Alufele landslide, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening mining safety regulations, protecting workers and promoting responsible mining practices across the country.
