Governor Mọhammed Umar Bago of Niger state has approved the released of fifty million naira for disbursement to families of victims of mine pit collapse at Galadima Kogo in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.
Secretary to the Niger State Government, Abubakar Usman Gurara, stated this while inaugurating a thirteen member committe on relief saddled with responsibility for the disbursement exercise in Minna.
Abubakar Usman Gurara explained that the fifty million naira earmarked for the disbursement has already been deposited in a designated bank account waiting for the committe members to come up with a template or moderlities for such payment to the beneficiaries.
He enumerated some terms of reference of the committee to include identify the victims that died, their next of kins, as well as those that were wounded, in addition to those that have provided rescue operation for the purpose of being compensated for rendering humanitarian services.
According to him they are also to determine the mode of payment and any other additional Information while they are expected to submit their report to Niger state Government at the end of this all important assignment.
On illegal mining in Niger state, the Secretary to the Niger State Government Abubakar Usman Gurara maintained that the ban on illegal mining throughout the state is still inforce as Governor Mọhammed Umar Bago has directed relevant ministries to profile this miners for easy identification before giving the go ahead to continue.
In his acceptance speech Chairman of the committee and Permanent Secretary General Services, Abubakar Sadik Idris gave and assurance that probity and accountability will remain their watch word in the discharge of their responsibilities.
District Head of Galadima Kogo ,Umar Aliyu said fourteen people have died during the incident out of which ten bodies were recovered and eight persons have rescued while many were injured.
They committee is given three weeks within which to submit its report to the Niger state Government.
END ALIYU LAWAL.
