We Break 4 Tippers Of Stones Per Week – Nassarawa Women Quarriers Reveal

Nasarawa, the home of solid minerals, is also a home of quarry business for women. From times past, it has always been men working and hustling to make a living for their family, but now, it has gone beyond just men, as women though not just any woman also partakes in the trade in the process wrested the business from the hands of men.

Just like the saying goes, ‘what a man can do, a woman can do even better.’ the women are putting their best in the business leading to their phenomenal success.

Mallama Asama’u, aged 20 is one of the women working in Nasarawa State quarry site in ‘Shamage’. She is a young and hard working woman who, because of the nature of her work, looks as if she is in her 30s. She has always been devoted to both her work and school at the same time with her family.

“I go to school in the day, help in the house when I get back, then move to the site, though my parents go to farm to make ends meet. So I help out on the site to be able to add up to what they have to make life easier for us.” She said.

Working on the quarry site at a tender and young age for Miss Asama’u has been very stressful and tedious.

“I really don’t mind at all when most of my class mate and friends find my hands and body very rough or hard, it is because I know that what I am doing is not wrong and it helps to put food on the table for me and my family.” She added.

LEADERSHIP FRIDAY gathered that Miss Asama’u is not only a hard working girl but also a very bright student who faces her studies squarely when it’s time for it and also works very hard on site when it’s time.

Speaking with the correspondent, Asama’u demonstrated how she breaks rock from the source to small pieces all by herself and puts them up for sale.

Miss Asama’u also commented on how happy she is and said that she is willing to go to the university to further her education as it is the key to everything in life.

“I will make sure I make my parents proud by completing my education, so that one day, when they go out, they can boast that their daughter graduated from the university as well.”

Miss Asama’u also called on the aid of the government to help provide free and sound education for the occupants of the village and others to help them succeed in life.

Also speaking with our reporter, Mallama Sa’adatu Bawa (49) who is the head of the quarry business in Shemage, Nasarawa State said she has been working on the quarry for 10 years and has been making a living from it.

“I have six children, four boys and two girls, my husband is late and so the responsibility of my family rests on my shoulder.“My sons and one of my daughters have finished their secondary school education while my youngest is still in secondary school. Sometimes, my brother-in-law, who is also in the same business with me, comes around to help me.”she said.

The breaking of stones is mostly done by the women and children, while the men go out for supplies and delivery.

Mallama Sa’adatu also stated that work is easier during dry seasons because of the ease with which stones are burnt from their source, while during rainy seasons, it requires more strength and energy to break stoned from the source.

“During the dry season, both me and my team of three women break three to four tippers in a week which gives more profits when we sell, but during the wet season, work becomes more tedious and so, we go to farm during the day and break stones in the evenings.”

“Since I started this business, my children and I have never cried of hunger or money for their school fees, because I have never rested for a day, knowing all the responsibilities I have.”

LEADERSHIP Friday also gathered that there are four types of stones which available at the quarry site which include: one inch, half inch, 3/4, 3/8, and all the women and children are involved in the breaking of these various types of stones in Shamage, Nasarawa State.

Mallama Sa’adatu called on people of the community, who have nothing doing, to take partake in quarrying business as stones are an endowment in the area which comes handy without any price.

She noted that they never give up hope when things get difficult because God always bless their hard work with profit.

Source: LEADERSHIP

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