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By Correspondent in Lokoja.
Consumers of sachet water, popularly called pure water in kogi state now have to pay double the price of the commodity to have it as the price has increased from N10 to N20 per sachet.
Correspondent of The Reporters reports that the hike is coming on the heels of groan being expressed by the masses in the state over alarming increase in the prices of virtually all food stuffs and other no consumable items, particularly in Lokoja, the state capital.
Speaking with Journalists on the issue in Lokoja, the Chairman,Association of Table Water Producers(ATWAP) in the state, Mr. Joseph Eseyin, said a bag of water would henceforth be sold at N200, in view of the present economic realities.
Our Correspondent recalls that a bag of sachet was selling between N130.00 and N150.00 before the new increase.
He traced the development to the exchange rate of nira to dollar, increase in fuel pump price to N165, adding that price of film rolls and packing bag now sold at over N1.6 million per tonne and N7,000 per bundle respectfully,not to talk of the price of diesel which he noted had also gone up.
According to the Chairman, the move was not to cause hardship for consumers but reduce the effect of the high cost of production to enable members produce potable water in line with the guidelines of National Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
“With the new price, the price of a sachet of water will now be N20 across Kogi State, retailers are urged to cooperate with the association,”he said.
The Chairman added that ATWAP would embark on a 3-day sanitation to enable the producers put necessary machineries in motion to serve the consumers better.
Some members of the public who spoke with our Correspondent in Lokoja, described the increase as another financial burden on them that deepen their pockets, coupled with the unique January expenses.
They called on the association to go back to the drawing board with a view to seeing to the possibility of reducing the price of the commodity.
They also called on Federal government to arrest the weak in the value of naira in exchange to dollar, in the interest its the multiplier effects on the social and economic life of the people, especially the poor masses.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
