The plight of women in quarry business

Chidinma Nwoke, a 48-year-old woman, ventured into quarrying business when her husband became incapacitated. Working along with Chidinma at the outskirts of Awka, the capital of Anambra State, however, are other women, who have carved niche for themselves as far as stone breaking is concerned. While driving along that route in Awka, one cannot but […]

Chidinma Nwoke, a 48-year-old woman, ventured into quarrying business when her husband became incapacitated.
Working along with Chidinma at the outskirts of Awka, the capital of Anambra State, however, are other women, who have carved niche for themselves as far as stone breaking is concerned.
While driving along that route in Awka, one cannot but get attracted to these women who ventured into the masculine world.
Many of them, surprisingly, are non-indigenes of the state. Majority of them, breadwinners of their families, migrated from neighbouring states in search of greener pasture to enable them fend for their families.
As early as 6.30am, they can be found in the open field. Some of the women come with their little children and work through the scorching sun and, sometimes, rain, to break stone into smaller pieces.
The work, no doubt, is strenuous. Right from the stage of breaking big stone into small sizes, to the point of selecting and parking the stones into different bags, according to their sizes, the job can be described as energy sapping.
Speaking about her seven years experience in the job, Chidinma Nwoke, told WinB that she was forced to relocate from her village in Ebonyi State after her husband, who had been the breadwinner of the family, became blind.
She said that they were into farming before her husband, unfortunately, became blind.
She said that instead of resorting to prostitution, as some of her friends did, she resolved to come to Anambra where she was told that stone breaking is a lucrative business.
“Though there is serious manual labour in this job,” she said. “The energy one dissipates in breaking one stone is enough to make you leave the business. But instead of prostituting or idling away, one just has to continue.
“I have two children and a blind husband who I take care of from the proceeds of this stone breaking.”
Chidinma said that she makes as much as N1,500 in a good day, and as low as N500 on a bad day. She blamed the current economic recession for the low patronage now being witnessed in the business.
She solicited for government’s support in form of soft loan to enable stone breakers engage in more meaningful and gainful ventures.
Reacting, the Director, Women Affairs Department under the Ministry of Social Welfare, Children and Women Affairs, Mrs Ezeanuna Maria, said that the state government was mindful of the plight of women, particularly the indigents among them.
She said that there were many programmes that captured different categories of women, including skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development, urging them to take advantage of the initiatives.