SOKOTO (SUNDIATA POST)- Sachet water producers, building-block mulders, car wash and commercial toilets owners are facing harsh business fluctuation, as Sokoto State Water Board disconnected their supply.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the disconnection exercise, which commenced at various parts of the state, is being conducted by a combined team of water board staff and security operatives.
The team disconnected water supply to business outlets including residential buildings with enlarge water storage system for reasons best known to the authorities.
Checks at different places by a NAN Correspondent reveals that the activity might not be unconnected to the persistent water scarcity that hit Sokoto metropolis and its environs forcing residents to fetch water at any available source.
Speaking to NAN on Sunday, the Chairman of Block Mulders’ Association, Sokoto State branch, Alhaji Kabiru Rumbukawa, said a team of operatives went round to cut-off water supply to business premises belonging to his members.
Rumbukawa said the exercise had jeopardised their operations and halted production, stressing that his members bought cement at the rate of N6,500 per bag but the disconnection exercise ruined their ambition.
He explained that most of his members depended solely on water board for water supply as only few of them could afford boreholes.
The chairman said the association had no fewer than 350 members employing at least 10 persons in each factory everyday for block production, apart from creating indirect employment to many people like; transporters, food vendors and water sellers among other services.
The Chairman said when the team disconnected his premises, he demanded for explanation, “because, I, alongside other members, pay for the services promptly to avoid any form of embarrassment but why the disconnection.”
He said the team leader simply told him that it was an order from the higher authority, adding that the situation affected many peoples’ lives especially those who depended on the production for their livelihood.
Also in an interview with NAN, Alhaji Nasiru Garka, the owner of Garka Table Water and Chairman of Sachet Water Producers in the state, expressed dismay over the disconnection exercise, saying that the exercise had crippled their businesses.
Garka said no fewer than 400 registered companies produced sachet water in Sokoto, employing between 20 to 50 persons in each factory.
He said apart from government, their services were second to non in terms of employment generation in the state and “we are paying all the statutory revenue into government coffers.
“In view of the fact the our services require both skilled and unskilled labour, we accommodate unemployable persons in the society in sachet water production business,” he said.
According to him, non of his members has prior information on the disconnection exercise which begun on Friday, assuring that the association planned to organise the union executives to approach water board management to find out reasons behind the exercise.
“Sachet water production is for public consumption, the producers purify the water for public consumption, thereby contributing to healthy wellbeing of the society,” he said.
Some car wash and commercial toilets owners also lamented over the disconnection exercise, which they said it affected their daily income.
Malam Dahiru Garba and Umar Namaradun, said they were not informed of any faults or sanction for non payment of statutory lavies before the disconnection exercise.
NAN reports that taps have gone dry and residents have been scampering to source for water wherever available, while government some times resorted to supplying water tankers to cushion the effect of the hard situation.
NAN Correspondent who monitored the situation in the metropolis reports that water vendors sell a 20-litre jerrican for between N120 and N140 each.
A cross section of water vendors interviewed, told NAN that they buy water from commercial borehole owners while the epileptic power supply had forced the price of 14 jerrican to shoot up to N400.
The vendors complained that they fetched water from long distance places from commercial borehole owners.
When contacted, the General Manager of Sokoto State Water Board, Alhaji Sama’ila Umar, said the disconnection exercise was a plan to ensure access to safe water supply for domestic consumption first, “then water for commercial or industrial purposes in the state can follow later.”
Meanwhile, Alhaji Yusuf Maccido, the State Commissioner for Water Resources said he was not aware of the disconnection exercise. (NAN)