- Lagos sachet water producers have denied reports of a strike, saying a three-day sanitation exercise affects only selected areas
- The exercise covers factory cleaning, laboratory testing and inspections to ensure compliance with NAFDAC and Lagos State water regulations
- ATWAP said the initiative aims to identify illegal and non-compliant operators and protect consumers from unsafe water
Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering energy, MSMEs, technology, banking and the economy.
Table water producers in Lagos State have dismissed reports of an industry-wide strike, assuring residents that sachet water remains available despite a three-day sanitation exercise in selected areas.
The Lagos State Chairperson of the Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria (ATWAP), Omolabake Mosaku, said the exercise was aimed at improving water quality, inspecting production facilities and ensuring compliance with safety regulations.
Source: UGC
Speaking in a phone interview with The PUNCH, Mosaku explained that the temporary shutdown affected only producers in specific clusters, while factories outside the areas continued operations.
She urged residents not to panic over fears of water scarcity, noting that distributors still had supplies available.
“We are not on strike. We are carrying out an exercise to make sure Lagosians are sure of whatever they are taking. Safety first in whatever we do,” she said.
Areas affected by the sanitation exercise
Mosaku said sachet water producers in Agege, Alimosho, Egbeda, Ifako-Ijaiye, AIT, Alagbado and Iyana Ipaja agreed to suspend production temporarily to clean their facilities and inspect their operations.
The three-day exercise includes sanitation, laboratory testing and checks to ensure that production processes meet the required standards before factories resume operations.
According to the ATWAP chairperson, maintaining hygienic production environments is essential to protecting consumers from contaminated water.
She added that the association regularly encourages members to test their products and keep their facilities clean to ensure that water supplied to the public is safe for consumption.
Mosaku apologised for any inconvenience the temporary suspension might cause residents but maintained that consumer safety remained the association's priority.
Association targets illegal and non-compliant producers
The exercise also provides an opportunity for ATWAP to identify operators who fail to meet established production standards, including those operating from unsuitable premises.
Mosaku said the association was implementing its “know your neighbour” initiative, which involves checking nearby factories to determine whether they comply with the requirements of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission.
The inspections cover NAFDAC registration numbers, certificate validity and compliance with relevant production guidelines.
She warned that some operators might produce sachet water under unhygienic conditions or engage in practices that could compromise water quality.
Mosaku explained that the association deliberately avoided announcing the exercise beforehand to prevent unregistered operators from shutting down their facilities and escaping inspection.
She said the exercise would also allow the association to educate non-compliant producers on the required standards and ensure that they address identified problems before restarting production.
Production to resume after inspections
Mosaku said the exercise was expected to last three days, although its completion would depend on the executives' confirmation that inspections had covered the affected areas and producers had met the necessary requirements.
Source: UGC
She added that ATWAP Lagos regularly visited production facilities to discourage unsafe practices and prevent substandard products from reaching consumers.
The association maintained that the exercise was a quality-control measure rather than an industrial action, urging residents to remain calm as producers worked to strengthen hygiene and safety standards.
Source: Legit.ng