The Senator representing Niger North and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, has donated N50 Million to victims of the dynamite explosion in Sabon Pegi Mashegu local government area of Niger state.
The senator, who was part of a high-powered delegation visiting Mashegu Local Government on Wednesday, announced the donation to the people of his constituency.
On Monday, a devastating dynamite explosion occurred in the Sabon Pegi community, which resulted in the tragic loss of lives, injuries, and destruction of property worth millions of Naira.
The delegation that comprised Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umaru Bago, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Hon. AbdulMalik Sarkin Daji, other state and federal lawmakers, as well members of the Niger State Executive Council, the Emir of Borgu, HRH Mohammed Sani Haliru Dantoro Kitoro IV, and other dignitaries empathised with the victims.
In his speech, Senator Sani Bello underscored the critical need for public education and sensitisation to promote safer mining practices.
He said, “A significant number of the people involved in mining are not formally educated. I believe that with proper education, they can be trained to adopt best practices in their mining activities”.
“Unfortunately, this tragedy has occurred, but we hope it serves as a lesson for all”, he added.
He noted that the visit was to commiserate with the community and those who have lost loved ones, saying that more efforts must be made to sensitise the people to safe mining practices.
“I heard the Minister of Information mention the involvement of the National Orientation Agency in this effort. While we cannot completely stop people from mining because doing so would be unrealistic, we can educate them on safer practices,” he posited
The Senator observed that in addition to the explosives often stored in homes, there is also the issue of river pollution in Sabon Pegi, where people clean gold, and that over time, these carcinogenic elements can pose serious health risks.
He said as the government promotes mining to boost revenue, educating the populace on best practices is imperative to ensure safer mining.
The senator added that with efforts, such incidents could be prevented in the future, adding, “Unfortunately, this tragedy has occurred, and while we cannot undo it, we must remain vigilant and pray it does not happen again.”
While expressing his condolences, Governor Umaru Bago urged the community to embrace the state government’s responsible mining policy for their safety.
On behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, expressed deep concern over the incident and assured the community of the federal government’s unwavering support.
He highlighted the National Orientation Agency’s role in spearheading public sensitisation campaigns to educate citizens on safe mining practices and the dangers of improper explosives handling.
“This tragedy underscores the urgent need for continuous awareness and education. We must work collectively to prevent such incidents in the future,” the Minister stated.
