Association laments proliferation of substandard table water in Nasarawa market

The Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) in Nasarawa state has decried the proliferation of substandard table water in the market.

Speaking at a two-day workshop organised for members of Keffi- Karu axis in Rosewell Hotel Mararaba, Saturday, chairman of the association Keffi–Karu axis Usman Diggi said some producers have resolved to cutting corners which is not healthy for consumption.

He attributed the proliferation to high cost of materials in the market, and said a lot of his members have closed down their factories due to high taxes, double taxation and high cost of materials in the market.

Diggi said until something urgent is done, the price of table water in the market might shoot up to N20 per sachet.

“The cost of nylon per kilogram used to be N450, but at the moment, it is has gone up to N1200, which is over 100 percent increase yet a bag of table water is sold between 60-70  naira.

“We are running at a lost which is why some of our members are cutting corners to enable them run the business,” he said.

Diggi added that his association is doing its best to discourage the practice while appealing to government to come to their aid particularly the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Also speaking, the state co-ordinator of NAFDAC, Mr. Dadi Nantim Mullak, appealed consumers to inform the agency of any illegal production in their vicinity for necessary action.