The Rivers State Government has expressed concern over the hike in prices of sachet of water in the state.
The state commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja said this in a statement in Port Harcourt.
Gogo-Jaja also directed satchet water producers to consider the downward price review of their products in order to reduce the burden on the masses.
He said the directive has become necessary with a view to ensuring that members of the public have access to affordable drinking water.
The commissioner said the state government’s water reticulation project is on-going and the ministry as also embarking on the restoration of water to the State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt.
It would be recalled that a sachet of water popularly known as pure water is now selling at N20 against the former price of N10 while a bag of sachet water which now costs between N180 and N200.
Although the price increase was attributed to the recent strike embarked upon by water producers, over the constant harassment and intimidation by taskforce officials, the price has now remained the same inspite the fact that the strike has been called off.
Chairman, Water Producers Association of Nigeria (UAPAN), Egberi Odiri who was contacted on phone to react on the state government’s directive promised to call back the reporter but never did as at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, some consumers of satchet water are lamenting the increase in the prices of the product.
A cross section of consumers who spoke in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt said satchet water is no longer affordable by the public.
They said the situation has also added to the prices of other goods in the market.
Effiong told The Tide that the prices of other items have also gone-up in the market.
Effiong who is a food vendor at Mile 1 Park, specifically lamented that the prices of meat and garri have gone up, adding that price of plate of food has also increased from N300 to N380.
She commended the Rivers State Government for the intervention and called on sachet water producers to comply immediately with the directive.
Also speaking, another food rendor, Mrs Hannah Joseph, said she could no longer afford giving free water, to her customers.
Hannah who sells roasted plantain and yam under the Mile 1 Flyover, said if her customers still want free water, she will have no option than to reduce the sizes of her roasted plantain and yam.
A water vendor, Joseph Edet, said the situation is affecting their daily profit, adding that many vendors are suffering because of the hike in price.
He also urged for something to be urgently done to reverse the trend.