The Imo State House of Assembly in conjunction with the State Ministry Of Health and other associated agencies says it will seal sachet and bottled water production factories over substandard practices, which include, failure to comply with standard provisions, vis-a-vis, regulatory provisions, and unhealthy production environment.
This was disclosed by the Chairman Of Imo State House Of Assembly Committee On Health, Hon Sam Otuibe, during a meeting with the Executive of the Association of Table Waters Production, ATWAP, Imo State, on Thursday, at the Assembly Complex.
He bemoaned the substandard practices of table water producers in the state, which has caused a lot of health challenges to Imo citizens who patronize their products daily.
Otuibe, who is also the Member Representing Ahiazu Mbaise State Constituency, further said,
“We are alarmed that the taste of water produced in Imo State is nothing to write home about. You cannot be poisoning Imo people in the name of doing business and making money. This is very sad, and alarming and should be condemned by all reasonable members of the public.
“How often do you treat your water? The majority of table water in the state has iron, which is why there is a very high rise in kidney and liver infections and related diseases in Imo state. You cannot be reaping people off, while they are dying of bad and poisoned water.
“Since some of your water factories are not following laid down regulations, we will seal them to protect Imo citizens. Only very few table waters are safe for Imo citizens to drink, like Eva water, Mangero water, and very few others. Some of you don’t even have NAFDAC registration numbers and have been operating illegally.
“Moving forward, therefore, every table water company in the State will undergo laboratory tests. Those that fail the test will be sealed, the names made public, and owners prosecuted.
“We will also publish table waters that passed the tests, for Imo citizens to take note of. We are recommending the company that carries out tests on Eva water to all of you. And certificates will be issued to those companies that will pass the tests.”
ATWAP pleaded with the Committee to give them time to reach out to their members to take precautionary measures and ensure, henceforth, the production of table water is done in a hygienic environment while observing other regulatory provisions.
The plea was rejected by the Committee.
The President of the Water Association, Mr Lunanze Bismarck, explained that they were elected in December 2023, and have 292 registered water producers in the state.
He also said there are still others operating in the state who are yet to be registered with the Association.
According to him, “some of our members have closed shop due to the rise in the cost of production”.
