Imo satchet water manufacturers begin strike over high cost of materials

* With 100 percent increase per sachet

By Dikachi Franklin,

Owerri

Manufacturers of sachet water in Imo State have commenced an indefinite strike consequent upon  high cost  of procuring raw materials.

The association arising from their meeting held last week,  Friday had impressed it on the manufacturers in the State to immediately  embark on a strike action,  giving the current situation which according to the association  is giving  them serious concern.

Investigations by Business A.M.  revealed  that in Owerri  metropolis there  has been acute scarcity of sachet water since the strike started,  to this also, sachet water hawkers   are desperately in need of water to sell .

Business A.M investigations also  reveal that many people in the State capital have as a result of the strike action resorted to come to their stores  and places where they  do their businesses  with containers filled with drinking  water to quench their thirsty desires.

The situation has resulted also  to a 100 percent  increase in the cost of a sachet  of water from N10.00 to N20 . Also a bag of sachet water which used to cost N120 is now sold at N200.

Chris Offor , the manufacturer,  Aqua Ken-Pass table water  said that the strike is as a result of high cost of their main production materials even though he failed to mention the main raw materials except that  the cost of the nylon which used to be N650 per kg, had risen to N1,510.

Offor stated that as a manufacturer, he had to abide by the order of the chairman of the association  and the decision reached at  the meeting to embark on a strike.

Like every other business, Offor said that the business of table water production in the State has not been  without challenges because of the proliferation of the business.

Regretting that people who came into the business were eager  to make money at all means without minding the implications.

He informed that what the leadership is currently doing is to strenghten the association with a view to creating a better environment for the manufacturers in the state.

He said that if the leadership succeeds, it will be  better for the manufacturers in the state.