SON, ATWAP Partners to Ensure Consumption of Clean Water in Suleja

Paschal Emeka, Abuja | Posted May 24, 2024

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) have entered into partnership to ensure that clean water is consumed in Suleja and other local governments of Niger state.

The Niger State Coordinating Office II of SON Suleja, in collaboration with Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) in the area organised Sensitization Programme on best practices in Water Manufacturing Process for water producers in Suleja local government area and other eight local government areas under the SON 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, commended the SON for the stride 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 satchet water in the area, the chairperson informed that many of over 250 water producers in the area, were not following the procedure, just as she added that the workshop would go a long way, in building their capacity.

“Son is doing well in Suleja, but it should do 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, and many don’t employ 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 produce 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 noted that with the importance of water to life and the inherent dangers posed by consuming poor quality water sold in the markets, the SON has not only made it mandatory to inspect manufacturers’ facilities, and inspect such key areas, like environment, storage tanks, filters, raw materials, among others to ensure that water produced is standard, they also organised the programme to educate them on the tenets of good and quality water production in Suleja.

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, she encouraged any producer who has interest in standardization, to either contact them on any of their social media handles or website, or come to any of SON’s offices nearest to him, to receive assistance from their staffs 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 standards.