Water Supply Cut-off Cripples Businesses In Sokoto

Sachet water producers, building-block moulders, 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 commenced at various parts of the state and 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 enlarged water storage systems for reasons best known to the authorities.

When contacted, the general manager of Sokoto State Water Board, Alhaji Sama’ila Umar, said the disconnection was to ensure access to safe water supply for domestic consumption first, “then water for commercial or industrial purposes in the state can follow.”

Checks at different places by a NAN revealed that the activity might not be unconnected to the biting portable water scarcity that persisted in Sokoto metropolis and its environs which forced the residents to fetch water at any available sources.

Speaking to NAN yesterday, 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 his members.
Rumbukawa said the exercise had jeopardised their operations and halted production, stressing that members bought cement at the rate of N6,500 per bag but the disconnection exercise ruined their businesses.

He said most of his members relied solely on water board for water supply as only a few of them could afford boreholes.

The chairman said the association had no fewer than 350 members employing at least 10 persons in each place daily for block production besides indirect employment of many as transporters, food vendors, water sellers among other services.

The chairman said when the team disconnected his premises he demanded an explanation as he alongside other members paid for their services promptly to avoid any form of embarrassment.

He said the team leader simply told him that it was from the higher authority, adding that the situation affected many peoples’ lives especially those who depended on the production for their livelihoods.

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, saying 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 the government, their services were second to none in terms of employment generation in the state and “we are paying all the statutory revenue into government coffers.

“In view of the fact that 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, none of his members has prior information on the disconnection exercise which began on Friday, assuring that the association planned to organise the union executives to approach water board management to find out the reason behind the exercise.

“Sachet water production is for public consumption, the producers purify the water for public consumption and we contribute to the healthy wellbeing of society,” he said.

Some car wash and commercial toilets owners also lamented over the disconnection exercise which affected their daily income.

Malam Dahiru Garba and Umar Namaradun said they were not informed on any faults or sanction for non-payment of statutory levies before the disconnection.

NAN reports that taps have gone dry and residents have been scampering to source for water wherever available, while the government sometimes resorted to supplying water tankers to cushion the situation.