DIPLOMAN TIMES

Niger State Government has provided N5 million to each family of the 37 artisanal miners who died and N2 million to each of the 32 survivors, as part of measures to support those affected by the incident.

Niger State Government has supported the families of 37 artisanal miners who lost their lives with N5 million each, while 32 survivors of the incident were presented with N2 million each. Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago presented the cheques to the Emir of Minna, Umar Faruk Bahago, at the Council Chamber of the Government House in Minna as part of the state's response to the incident.

Governor Bago said the intervention was intended not only to provide immediate support to affected families and survivors but also to encourage beneficiaries to pursue alternative livelihoods. He urged residents involved in artisanal mining to desist from unprofessional mining practices. The governor also disclosed that his administration had directed the State Universal Basic Education Board to establish schools that would encourage children to enrol in formal education rather than expose themselves to the risks associated with artisanal mining.

The governor used the occasion to acknowledge the perseverance and patience of the families of the deceased and the survivors following the incident. He also commended the Emir of Minna for his efforts to promote peace within his domain and for counselling families affected by the deaths. Bago further acknowledged the emir's continuing support for the state administration and his role in engaging with families during the aftermath of the incident.

Responding on behalf of the affected families and survivors, the Emir of Minna appreciated the state government for the intervention. He pledged that the Emirate would ensure that the funds reach the rightful beneficiaries. The state government's intervention therefore combines direct financial assistance with a stated effort to discourage unsafe artisanal mining and create alternatives, particularly through education for children who might otherwise become exposed to the sector.

The intervention places immediate financial relief alongside the state's stated objective of reducing exposure to unprofessional mining practices. The support announced for the 37 deceased miners' families and 32 survivors, together with the proposed education intervention, represents the measures disclosed by the Niger State Government following the incident.