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Article Title:
Survey of Informal Stone Crushing Sub-Sector and Its Implication on Employment and Income Generation in Jigawa State Nigeria
by Ibrahim Muhammad Adam (Ph.D)

Abstract:
The twin problem of widespread unemployment and poverty coupled with inability of formal sector in Nigeria to generate adequate employment necessitates focusing attention to the informal sector as alternative means of job creation and livelihood. Stone crushing is a global phenomenon which entails quarrying of natural stone including sand, gravel and crushed rock that represents the main source of construction materials used throughout the world. Breaking of stones into aggregates through the application of crude manual method has been going on for decades in Jigawa state Nigeria as informal non-farm alternative employment which provides low income earning opportunity for the households. The study is set to explore the livelihood outcomes realized by the stone crushers and local community arising from informal stone quarrying activities and its implication on poverty reduction. The study used primary data collected from 402 stone crushers in five crushing sites across the state through multistage random sampling technique. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the characteristics of the stone crushers in the State. Multivariate regression, Logistics regression and Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) models were respectively employed to analyse the data on income and poverty reduction of the stone crushing actors in the State. The study found that average informal stone crushing entrepreneur employs between one to five persons, earns an average of N1, 230.68 ($3.76) per day as off-farm income. Impliedly, the informal stone crushing enterprises are important sources of employment and income generation in Jigawa with promising potentials. The study further reveals that Stone crushing entrepreneur?s average daily income, number of days worked per week and mode of operation (full or part-time) are the key determinants of poverty reduction amongst quarry entrepreneurs in Jigawa. Therefore, level of poverty reduces considerably with increases in quarry entrepreneur?s daily income, working days per week and as operations becomes full time. The policy implication of the study is that policy makers should formulate and implement pro-poor policies that will support, modernize and transform the stone crushing enterprises particularly in the provision of modern equipment, stable electricity and physical infrastructure which empowers them to work full time, provision of adequate security, functional skills acquisition clinics, literacy on savings and re-investment culture, access to affordable and adequate finances and new technology adoption for diversification and economic prosperity. These, in turn, will enhance the stone crushing entrepreneur?s earning capacity, savings level, working days, employment creation and poverty status.

Keywords: Informal, Stone Crushing, Employment, Poverty Reduction, Jigawa

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