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The Kogi State Chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, (NYCN) has condemned the price hike of a sachet of pure water from N10 to N20 by the Association of Pure Water Producers in the state.
The State Chairman of the Council, Usman Samuel Ogohi said the excuse that the cost of materials was the reason for the hike in price of a sachet of pure water is rather unfounded.
The NYCN said the move is being perceived to be a sinister attempt to make life unbearable for the people of the state.
“We have on very good account through our networks in other states that the price of materials, mostly disposables needed in the production of pure water has remained constant in the past eight months.
“The price of sachet water in states such as Benue, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti and even Niger has remained constant”, he said.
He added that the NYCN is very much aware of the move by the union to create artificial scarcity of the commodity in other to raise demand and “allow for their sinister price hike to stand .
“We on this account call on the Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) and other independent producers to reconsider their decision and revert to the normal price of N10 per sachet.
“We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that this move by ATWAP does not frustrate the effort of citizen’s access to affordable potable drinking water”.
He stressed further that the National Youth Council of Nigeria will be constituting a committee to meet with the state government to share its findings on this matter and “ensure all efforts to economically stifle Kogites are put to a halt”.
Recall that despite meeting with the State Commissioner for Water Resources, Abdulmumin Danga, the Association of Table Water Producers, ATWAP said there is no going back on the increment in the price of ‘pure water’ to N200 per bag.
Chairman of Kogi ATWAP, Mr. Joseph Eseyin told Newsmen in Lokoja that the agreement reached with government representatives led by the Water Resources Commissioner is that the price remains N200 per bag and each sachet of water be sold at N15 as against the N20 announced last week.
“Selling water at #15 will still enable the retailers make a profit margin of N100 per bag which is 50%. So we are appealing and requesting for the understanding of our retailers
The Chairman of the Association while appealing for understanding among the people said the move was not a deliberate attempt to make life difficult but to ensure standard production.
