The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC), Bayelsa State Command, Saturday, organised a stakeholders’ meeting to resolve the protracted crisis among producers of table and sachet water in the state.
The meeting was attended by the Special Adviser to Bayelsa Governor on Security, Boma Sparo-Jack, representatives of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and executive members of Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria(ATWAP) from Bayelsa, Delta, Imo, and Rivers states, among others.
ATWAP, Bayelsa State chapter, has been at loggerheads with their counterparts from the neighbouring states who bring packaged water into the state, a development generated security concerns.
The State Commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu, said the event was organised to avoid crisis in Bayelsa State.
He said there were situations people blocked the supply of packaged water coming into the state from Delta, Imo, Rivers and other places.
He said such a development if not promptly tackled could lead to a breakdown of law and order in the state.
He said: “To avoid such problems, that is why we organised this stakeholders meeting for all ofnthem them to come for dialogue to resolve the problems. We are optimistic that today, we are going to iron out all the issues for a long lasting solution.
“As you are all aware, the NSCDC by virtue of the Act 2003 as amended in 2007, section 3, subsection 1 (4) (6), the corps is saddled with the responsibility “to arrange, mediate in settlement of disputes among willing members of the public’ which your association is part of.
“In view of this, the corps has convened this stakeholders meeting to fashion, harmonise all members of ATWAP doing business in Bayelsa and also to proffer a lasting solution to the lingering crisis existing among you.”
The Chairman, ATWAP, Bayelsa State, Capt. C.K. Emiemokumo (retd.), lamented the problems facing packaged water producers in Bayelsa over the years.
He said that some of their counterparts from neighbouring states turned the state into a dumping ground for all sort of contaminated water.
He commended the meeting, saying it would put a stop to the unbridled influx of all sorts of water into the state.
He said suppliers of substandard water refused to register with ATWAP Bayelsa State so that their activities would continue without any check or control.
He said: ” NAFDAC conducts annual recertification tests on all water producing companies every year. But regrettably, we have no way of knowing which companies were tested or which were not since ATWAP has no record or control over the water that comes into Bayelsa.”
He, therefore, called on the state government security agencies and all other stakeholders to cooperate with ATWAP in Bayelsa to be able to have control on the companies bringing water into the state.
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