To reduce the burden of high cost of living on residents, Nibo Town Union in Awka South Local Government Area has set fixed prices for farm labour, bricklaying and carpentry work.
The prices were declared officially at a town hall meeting held at Nibo Civic Centre, which had in attendance men, women and youths of the community, as well as non-indigenous farmers, bricklayers and labourers.
According to Nibo Town Union, clearing of a farm land is now three thousand five hundred naira per day with a meal once, four thousand five hundred without meal, while cultivation, making of mounds or ridges is now five thousand five hundred naira per day with a meal once, and seven thousand naira per day without a meal.
For bricklayers, a day job is now seven thousand naira, serving of mason per day four-thousand-naira, carpentry work per day seven thousand naira, and cutting of a head of palm fruit is now two hundred and fifty naira.
Addressing the gathering, the President -General of the community, Professor Tony Nwokoye, appealed to the residents to kindly comply with the decisions, saying that Nibo Town Union will deploy men of the vigilante service, alongside Nibo Women Committee of “Ogbu obodobo” every morning to monitor implementation of the decisions.
The PG warned that any labourer who refuses to comply with the decisions should not be seen at Eke Nibo market or the Central Labourers Park and for Nibo indigenes who default will face the wrath of the town union.
In his remark, the Traditional Prime Minister of the community, Chief Robins Obi-Ezeana, pointed out that Nibo is a community that has customs and traditions, rules and regulations; just like every other community, noting that the town hall meeting was for them to have a dialogue so they can all live in harmony.
The Woman Leader, Ogbu Obodobo, Mrs. Rose Okoye, and that of Umuenechi Village, Mrs. Chinyere Enekwechi, explained that the decision to have fixed prices for farm labour and others arose because of the way labourers hike prices of their services above the reach of the common man, and noted that the new prices will reflect on the cost of local produce in the market; thereby bringing a reduction in the cost of commodities like garri, vegetables, among others.
Non indigenes who spoke during the meeting, Mr. Elijah Umeje and Mr. Sunday Bright, who said they have lived in Nibo for twenty-four and twenty-two years respectively, affirmed that the community has been good to them, but noted that the situation in the country is the reason for the hike in price of labour.
The meeting came to a climax when the women of the community led by the Woman Leader Ogbu obodobo, Mrs. Okoye, made a proclamation that anyone who refuses to comply with the decisions will face the wrath of Nibo land.
Meanwhile, the President -General of Nibo Town Union, Professor Nwokoye, has distributed to the thirty villages in the community palliatives given to them by the federal government through the Anambra State Government.
They were bags of corn and garri, which are to be given to vulnerable members of the community to cushion the effects of rising cost of living across the country.
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