Association Tasks Rivers, Bayelsa States On High Water Tariff

The Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria (ATWAP) Rivers State has appealed to the Rivers State Government to liaise with its Bayelsa State counterpart with a view to redressing the high tariff imposed on water from Rivers to Bayelsa State.
The Tide learnt that the Bayelsa State Government has imposed a N20 tariff per bag of water coming into the state from Rivers State.
Chairman, Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria, Rivers State Mr. Egberi Macson, told The Tide in an exclusive interview that some water factories particularly those in Ahoada and Omoku axis of the state have folded of because of the high tariff.
He also said that the association has lost over its million to the incident, stressing that within the period under review, seven out of the ten water factories in the Ahoada area have folded up, thereby throwing hundreds of Rivers youths into the labour market.
Macson however said that if the continous appeals to the Bayelsa State Government to reduce the tariff fail, his association will have no option, but to take measures that will make water producers in Bayelsa pay high tariff, while exporting their waters to Rivers State.
According to him, ATWAP in Rivers State will not only block water coming into Rivers State, from Bayelsa, but will prevent Bayelsa women from coming to the Mbiama Market.
Meanwhile, the chairman Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria ATWAP, has appealed to the state government to stop local government officials from harassing vehicles conveying water to their respective areas.
He said that the parking permit and daily ticket allegedly being collected by local government officials from vehicles conveying waters to their areas is not only illegal, but denying rural communities the benefit of having access to quality drinking water.