By Abdulrahman Abdullahi
Water producers in Nigeria have lamented the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of raw materials on their businesses.
The manufacturers disclosed this on the side-lines of the World Water Day event organised by the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission, asked the government to intervene speedily.
The Chairman of the Water Producers Association of Nigeria, Ebere Ibeawuchi, said things were no longer the same after the pandemic.
He said the cost of importing materials to produce water was on the high side and foreign exchange had been a debilitating factor in the business.
He said, “Most of the time, the importers of the raw materials in our industry are finding it difficult sourcing for raw materials via-a-vis availability of foreign exchange. So, other countries supplying us have not gone back to full capacity utilisation. Hence, supply is low; demand is high.
“All the same, we are trying to cope. In terms of raw materials, we are talking about the chemicals we use which include nylons, plastics and other materials which are all petrochemical by-products that are usually imported from outside Nigeria. We hope these materials can be sourced locally.”
The National President of Association of Table Waters Producers of Nigeria, Clementina Chinwe, said, “If we disclose the price of what it takes us to produce water, in fact, 99 per cent of Nigerians would not be able to afford it.
“Table water is currently sold for N70. In the past, we used N480,000 materials to produce a ton. As I am talking to you now, we are buying those materials at N1.5m. So, tell me why we can’t increase the price?”
Chinwe appealed to the regulatory bodies including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to take the association along in ridding the industry of quacks.
