Senate Seeks Compensation Scheme for Miners After Kogi Coal Mine Collapse Kills 20

The Senate on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to establish a statutory compensation scheme for mining workers following the fatal collapse of a coal mining site in Kogi State that claimed the lives of 20 miners.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Jibrin Isah (APC, Kogi) under Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Rules.

Presenting the motion, Isah said unsafe coal mining operations in Ankpa Local Government Area and other coal-producing communities in Kogi State had continued to expose miners to serious safety, environmental and humanitarian risks.

He explained that coal mining remains a major economic activity in Enjema, Okaba and Ikah communities in Ankpa LGA, as well as parts of Omala and Olamaboro LGAs, which form part of the Ankpa coal block within the Anambra Basin.

According to him, the geological composition of the area—including laterite, loose sandstone, mudstone, clay, shale and other unconsolidated sediments—makes mining sites highly susceptible to subsidence, landslides and ground failure.

The lawmaker recalled that on July 14, a major landslide occurred at Alufele in Enjema District, trapping artisanal and small-scale miners underground while several trucks reportedly sank into mining pits during loading operations.

He said the incident claimed 20 lives and left several others injured.

Isah attributed the recurring accidents to unsafe mining practices, particularly the widespread use of the room-and-pillar mining method without adequate structural reinforcement.

He also expressed concern that many miners work without written employment contracts, health insurance, life insurance or occupational hazard coverage, leaving victims and their families without any form of compensation when accidents occur.

He warned that the persistent mine collapses not only endanger lives but also degrade the environment, stressing the need for urgent legislative and executive intervention to improve safety standards in the mining sector.

Contributing to the debate, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno) described mining accidents as a recurring tragedy across the country and called for stronger laws to regulate mining activities.

“The issue of mining collapse has become a recurring decimal with the attendant effects of deaths and injuries in mining communities across the country. The solution lies in strengthening the legal and regulatory framework governing mining operations,” he said.

Following the debate, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, particularly its Department of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining, to carry out a nationwide audit of licensed mining operators to strengthen oversight and regulatory compliance.

Lawmakers also called on the Federal Government to establish a Mining Workers’ Compensation Scheme, funded through mandatory contributions from licensed mining companies, to provide compensation for occupational injuries, permanent disabilities, occupational diseases and deaths arising from mining activities.

The Senate further directed its Committee on Solid Minerals Development to draft legislation for the establishment of the compensation scheme.

It also urged the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), in collaboration with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, to develop a compulsory occupational accident insurance policy covering all categories of miners, including artisanal and small-scale miners operating under recognised cooperatives or community mining arrangements.

The Senate equally called for the creation of a Mining Rehabilitation and Victims Support Fund to provide emergency medical care, rehabilitation, compensation and educational support for children of deceased miners, as well as assistance to affected families.

It mandated its Committees on Solid Minerals Development, Environment, Labour and Employment, and Health to engage relevant ministries, departments and agencies and report back to the chamber within six weeks.

The Senate concluded consideration of the motion by observing a minute’s silence in honour of the 20 miners who lost their lives in the July 14 Kogi coal mine landslide.