The Niger State Government has announced a N50 million compensation package for the families of victims affected by the tragic collapse of a mining pit in Galadima Kogo, Shiroro Local Government Area.
According to The PUNCH, this decision comes after families of the deceased had recently demanded compensation and threatened legal action against both the state government and African Minerals and Logistics Limited, the company responsible for the collapsed mine.
The mining pit disaster occurred in June after a heavy downpour, leading to scores of miners being trapped.
As of last week, the bodies of 14 miners had been recovered from the site.
On Monday, the Secretary to the Niger State Government, Abubakar Gawu, revealed that Governor Mohammed Bago had approved the compensation.
Additionally, a 13-member committee has been established to manage the disbursement of the funds to the families.
“The state government has approved N50 million as a relief for the families of victims of the collapsed mining pit in Shiroro Local Government Area. We have also set up a 13-man committee to oversee the disbursement of the funds to the victims’ families. Let us remind you that the government placed a ban on mining in the state, and that ban is still in place. Mining companies licensed by the federal government should obtain permission from the state government before they can mine,” Gawu stated.
However, the district head of Galadima Kogo, Umaru Aliyu, expressed disappointment with the government’s response, lamenting the delay in providing assistance to the families.
It was also noted that not all the victims were from Niger State; some hailed from Kogi and other northern states. Furthermore, Galadima Kogo is known as a hotspot for banditry, largely due to the presence of mineral resources in the region.
The state government’s gesture came as the victims’ families continued to express frustration that the mining company, whose pit had collapsed, had yet to reach out to them, despite repeated calls for compensation.
Speaking in a telephone interview, Suleiman Isah, a brother of one of the victims, shared his sorrow. “This accident affected one of my brothers. I will just say, my blood brother. He was one of my blood brothers. For now, they have already buried nine people and we are still expecting five people from the pit. We have not heard anything from the company that owns the collapsed mine although they promised to compensate us,” he said.
