‘2 million Kano youths MAY lose their jobs’

About two million youths may lose their jobs due to the closure of some sachet-water-producing factories in Kano.

Muktar Tata, secretary-general of the state chapter of Association of Sachet Water Producers of Nigeria, made the disclosure while speaking with reporters in Kano on Wednesday.

Tata said many producers were compelled to fold up due to the increase in price of polythene used for packaging the commodity.

He said prices of the material, which sold for N480,000 per tonne in January, had increased to N1.1 million.

“The situation has forced the closure of about 60 per cent of the ‘pure-water’-producing factories in the state,” he said.

“About two million youths working in the industry might lose their jobs and the state may face scarcity of drinking water if the situation is not addressed.”

He said the situation had compelled the association to increase the price of water from N5 to N10 per sachet, and N60 per bag of 20 sachets to N100 per bag.

“The sachet water vendors have agreed to ‎sell a sachet at N10 and two sachets for N15,” he said.

He added that the association would ensure production of the commodity under good hygienic conditions.