By Hyacinth Eku
Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) have made a move to ensure that clean water is consumed in Suleja and other local government areas of Niger state.
The SON’s Niger State Coordinating Office II in Suleja in collaboration with Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) in the area on Wednesday organised Sensitization Programme on Good Water Manufacturing Process for water producers in Suleja local government area and other eight local government areas under the Coordinating Office in Niger state.
Speaking to journalists at the programme, the chairperson, Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) and the Chief Executive Officer, Davoo Table Water Company, Suleja, Niger state, Pastor Patience Ezeoma has commended SON for their good work and advised the agency to shut down any defaulting water producing company in the eight local government areas.
Raising the alarm on the danger of circulating substandard table and sachet water in the area, the chairperson informed that many of over 250 water producers in the area, weren’t following the procedure, just as she added that the workshop would go a long way to sensitised their members.
She said: “SON has been trying in Suleja, but it should try more, by stopping those producing with low quality nylon. There are microns that are needed in producing water and because of the price, people go for a substandard polythene. Also, many do not employed professionals, like chemical engineers, among others.”
Similarly, Kasim Abdulahi from Suleja Water Board informed that they usually come out with clean water, but advised the producers to not only keep their environments clean, but employ professionals, to enable them becoming out with clean water,good enough for human consumption.
Earlier in a welcome remark, the Coordinator of SON’s Niger State Office II, Mrs Maryam K. Samson raised comern over the inherent dangers posed by consuming poor quality water sold in the markets, while explaining the importance of water to life.
She advised the bad eggs in the system to desist from malpractices, saying that SON will stop at nothing to enforce its standards by collaborating with the law enforcement agencies, while encouraging any producer who has interest in standardization to either contact them on any of their media handles or websites, or come to any of SON’s offices nearer to them, to receive assistance from their staff trained for that purpose.
Represented by the the Director of Region, North Central, Princess Marline Waziri, the Director – General (DG), SON, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke participating in the programme would enable the producers learn about best practices and latest technologies for water treatment and purification. While enjoining them to regularly go for research and development to meet up with the scientific and innovations in water treatment, among others, he charged them to regularly test their water to ensure that they meet the standards.
