Pure Water Factories Fold Up In Kano State

The source of livelihood of about two million youths in Kano state is threatened as ‘pure water–producing companies in the state face closure.

According to the secretary-general of the state chapter of Association of Sachet Water Producers of Nigeria, Muktar Tata, many of the companies have folded up already due to the increase in price of polythene used for packaging the commodity.

While speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, March 16, in Kano, Tata said prices of the material, which sold for N480,000 per tonne in January, had increased to N1.1 million.

“The situation has forced the closure of about 60 per cent of the ‘pure-water’-producing factories in the state,” he said.

“About two million youths working in the industry might lose their jobs and the state may face scarcity of drinking water if the situation is not addressed.”

He added that the situation has forced the association to increase the price of water from N5 to N10 per sachet, and N60 per bag of 20 sachets to N100 per bag.

He said vendors in the state “have agreed to ‎sell a sachet at N10 and two sachets for N15.”

Theinfostride investigation reveals that the situation in Kano state is no different from Lagos and some other parts of the country, where a bag of ‘pure water’, which used to sell for N60 now sells for N100 or N150 as the case may be.

The effect of foreign exchange is believed to have taken a toll on every tiny commodity in the country. And while Nigerians hoped for the naira to miraculously regain its strength against the dollar, fuel scarcity showed up – worsening an already unfavourable condition of individuals and businesses.