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Sachet water ban will lead to job losses – Lagos residents

Published

2 months ago

October 13, 2024

Sachet water

Sachet water ban will lead to job losses – Lagos residents

Some Lagos residents have expressed concerns over the proposed move by the state government to ban single-use plastics (SUPs) and sachet water saying that it will lead to loss of jobs and disrupt economic activities.

The residents in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday appealed to the state government to have a rethink over the proposed ban.

NAN reports that Mr Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, during a stakeholders’ workshop recently announced plans to ban SUPs and sachet water by January 2025.

Wahab said the policy is designed to establish sustainable guidelines for managing plastic waste while protecting public health and the environment.

He noted that styrofoam and single-use plastics take centuries to degrade, making the ban essential for environmental protection.

Wahab said the Lagos State Government was working closely with the private sector organisations to provide alternatives for styrofoam containers and other SUPs, while supporting research into new technological solutions.

NAN, however, reports that the proposed ban has sent shockwaves to the manufacturing and retail sectors, sparking fears of job losses, economic disruption, and uncertainty among stakeholders.

The ban has also raised concerns among water vendors who rely heavily on sachet water for their livelihood.

A Lagos resident and Sales Manager, Aremson Water Ltd., Ojo First Gate, Mr Akinyemi Bolaji, told NAN that the ban would make a lot of people unemployed.

“I am more particular about employment. The ban will not favour anyone, and it will make thousands of people lose their source of livelihood.

“On the other hand, what is the reason for the ban? People are consuming it on a daily basis, so is there any way the government is putting it out to give people clean water?

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“There should be other alternatives to curb the whole recycling issue,” he said.

While commending the government for the initiative, he, however, appealed for a better alternative to ensure the ban won’t affect the jobs of people in the water business.

“The government should help in educating the people on proper disposal properly as it’s written on the body of the plastic.

“Eradicating all these factories that produce the SUPs is not the best way. It’s a solution in one aspect and hazardous in another,” he said.

He advised the government to put a bin on every bus stop and house so as to curb the problem of single-use plastic blocking the drainage.

A retail water seller, Mrs Vera Osiyemi, told NAN that sachet water had been the best way of curbing cholera.

“I don’t think it is going to be possible. This is what everyone consumes. If the government bans it, does it mean we are going back to our old way of selling iced water?”

“The solution is to create an awareness, educate the people on how to dispose it properly and provide bins. Just like we had in the old days, it was in every house,” Osiyemi said.

Another seller, Mrs Afusat Ajibola, told NAN that the ban might not be possible because the main idea was to get clean water.

“So, if the government eventually bans it, it will result in a serious cholera outbreak.

“It is not possible. The government can ban it, but it cannot work. There is no way we are going back to selling iced water,” she said.

She added that the government might have a way of controlling those that consume it.

“It is to provide for bins and continue to keep Lagos clean,” she said.

Another retailer, Miss Joy Okafor, said she was not aware of the proposed ban.

“Even if there would be a ban, we should understand that it’s not just the single use and sachet nylon water that block the drainage.

“There are other causes like disposables as well.

“Government knows what is best, but in this case, it is not possible. Will they provide clean pipe borne water for streets and houses?

“What will be the next step of the government? The only thing I’m seeing is more of unemployment, because people sell it to make ends meet,” she said.

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She said the government should look for a means to curb the problem at disposing it and not banning it.

Mr Chinedu Eze, a water distributor, said he was uncertain about what would happen next after the ban.

“I have been in the business for years. Now, I’m uncertain about the future. This isn’t just about access to water, it’s about the survival for thousands of us,” he said.

Another Lagos resident simply identified as Mummy Boma , a street vendor, told NAN that the proposed ban would affect her livelihood.

“Selling pure water helps me feed my children and send them to school. Bottled water is too expensive to buy or sell in bulk.

“The government should rather enforce stricter regulations on sachet water producers to ensure better quality control and hygiene standards,” she said.

A resident and medical doctor, Dr Olufemi Adeyemi, told NAN that Lagosians could lose access to potable and affordable water due to the ban.

“Though some sachet water contain contaminated water due to lack of regulation, however, the government needs to provide alternative safe water sources before any ban is enforced.

“Without proper preparation, banning ‘pure water’ could leave millions of Nigerians without a reliable and affordable water option.

“Instead of an outright ban, the government could invest in public water systems to ensure a reliable supply of clean water in both urban and rural areas,” he said.

He added that this would reduce the population’s dependence on sachet water.

Sachet water ban will lead to job losses – Lagos residents

metro

Yuletide: Travellers want fare discount for road trips

Published

8 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Yuletide: Travellers want fare discount for road trips

Bemoan high fares

Passengers travelling to their country homes for the Christmas and new year day celebrations have urged the Federal Government to extend the free rail services announced early in the week to road transport routes across the country.

Some of the travellers who complained about the high fares called on the Federal Government to restore the 50 percent fare reduction on inter-state luxury bus routes granted to road passengers at this time last year.

The passengers who spoke at various terminals and loading stations of long distance road transport companies in Lagos, were reacting to the upsurge in fares to about N40,000 on luxury buses and N65,000 on mini buses going to the South-East.

Reports from some of the boarding stations revealed that upon hearing the announcement of free train ride, some passengers thronged the loading stations at various points in Lagos to benefit from the gesture, but were disappointed when they were informed that the offer did not cover road transport.

At Terminal 1 in Oshodi, Alafia, Jibowu, Mazamaza, and private stations in the Cele/Ejigbo axis, on Saturday, passengers bemoaned the high cost of travelling on both the big and small buses, disclosing that many people were not travelling because they couldn’t afford “the exorbitant fares the transport firms are collecting.”

Interestingly, a trip on board Toyota Sienna which used to attract slightly higher fare than on a typical mini bus, is the same at N40,500.

One of the passengers told our reporter one if the stations in Cele, “You press people should please tell (President Bola) Tinubu that poor masses cannot afford to go home this Christmas because there is no money in the country.

“(President) Tinubu should please repeat the 50 percent discount on long distance fares which some of us enjoyed last year to travel home.”

At the nearby Young Young Shall Grow station, a passenger who planned to travel to the east recalled how he took advantage of the 50 percent fare discount to travel from Abuja to Onitsha and back in 2023, and wondered why the Federal Government has not considered the re-introduction of the palliative this festive season.

According to the man who gave his name as Chinedu Uzoechina, his intention to travel to Anambra state and back with his wife and five children, has been stalled by the high transport fares being charged at the various terminals.

Uzoechina, who came to book for seats in advance, lamented, “I was hoping that the 50 percent fare discount that followed the increase in fuel pump price would be available this year, but that has not been the case this year. Forty thousand into seven is N280,000 for one-way luxury tickets.

“If you add the cost of coming back, it means I will spend nothing less than N560,000 on transportation alone for seven of us. Where will I get that kind of money? I have called my wife to inform her of the situation here (at the terminals in Cele).

“She is not happy that we are not travelling anymore, but what can I do?”

According to him, the only thing that can make his family travel again is if the Federal Government extends the free train ride offer to long distance road transport routes, like Lagos-east, or reduces the fares in collaboration with the operators.

Like Uzoechina, many other intending travellers were still hopeful that the government wiuld still intervene with a fare discount, even as they disclosed that they would either cancel the trips outrightly or reduce the number of tickets to be bought, if their hopes are dashed.It was learnt that the fares were slightly lower by about N2,000 at Terminal 1 where both big and mini buses have been loading for day and night trips at Oshodi.

Reacting to the passengers’ complaints about high fares at the terminal owned by the Lagos State Government, Damian Ezuma, the manager of Izu Chukwu Transport, blamed the situation on the rising cost of maintaining the buses as well as on the pump price of diesel, which he said, is as high as N2,000 a litre in some parts of the country.

“It is not our fault. The cost of maintenance is so high that it is only by the grace of God that some of transport companies still manage to keep their buses on the road these days. Do you know that one big bus tyre costs between N250,000 and N500,000, depending on the quality and brand?” Ezuma argued.

He confirmed that many intending travellers who heard about the free train services offer by the Federal Government have been coming to the terminal make enquiries on whether long distance-plying buses are part of the gesture and whether last season’s fare discount applies this year.

Many of them leave the terminal disappointed and deciding not to travel anymore, but opting instead to wait for a possible fare palliative from the government.

Also commenting on the reason for the high fares, a manager at Chisco Transport’s head office in Lagos explained that the unfavourable naira-dollar exchange rate has impacted on the prices of replacement parts and maintenance costs generally.

But a major factor is the fact that during the peak festive season, buses are usually full when leaving major cities like Lagos and Abuja, but are almost empty in their return journeys.

So some operators slightly adjust their fares upward to cover the losses incurred during return trips.

In 2023, the special fare discount by government through the luxury bus owners took effect on December 21, and lasted till the second week of January, 2024.

metro

Navy arrests 19 Nigerians attempting to reach Europe by hiding on ship

Published

10 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Navy arrests 19 Nigerians attempting to reach Europe by hiding on ship

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT has successfully apprehended 19 individuals attempting to stow away on Europe-bound vessels.

In a statement issued on Saturday in Lagos, the ship’s Information Officer, Lt. Hussaini Ibrahim, disclosed that 15 stowaways were intercepted on Dec. 19 aboard the European-bound Moto Tanker (MT) KRITI RUBY. Another four were caught on Dec. 21 aboard MT MCC YANBU.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the stowaways boarded the vessels at night and concealed themselves in the rudder compartment while attempting to illegally migrate to Europe,” Ibrahim stated.

The Navy’s Quick Response Team (QRT), operating from ATLAS COVE and using the Falcon Eye Alignment under the Nigerian Navy Maritime Domain Awareness Facility, facilitated the interception of the 15 individuals near the Lagos fairway buoy.

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Ibrahim further explained that credible intelligence led to the interception of the additional four stowaways by Navy personnel deployed on escort duties aboard the vessel.

“The prompt response of the QRT saved the stowaways from exposure to life-threatening situations during the long voyage,” he added.

The first group of 15 individuals has been handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Port/Marine Command, Apapa, for further investigation and necessary action. The remaining four suspects will also be transferred in due course.

“The presence of stowaways poses serious security threats to maritime operations, including risks of smuggling, piracy, drug and human trafficking, among other maritime crimes,” Ibrahim noted.

He emphasized that under the leadership of Chief of Naval Staff Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, NNS BEECROFT will continue maintaining security along Lagos waterways and surrounding creeks to support safe maritime activities and economic growth.

Navy arrests 19 Nigerians attempting to reach Europe by hiding on ship

metro

Troops arrest four Ambazonian rebels in Taraba

Published

10 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Nigerian military troops

Troops arrest four Ambazonian rebels in Taraba

Troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 of the Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have arrested four suspected members of Ambazonian rebels in Taraba.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ambazonia is a rebel group operating in neighbouring Cameroon Republic.

A statement on Saturday in Jalingo by Capt. Olubodunde Oni, Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations, said the suspects were arrested at a hotel in Takum town.

The statement said that acting on credible intelligence, the suspects were tracked and apprehended.

According to the statement, during initial interrogation, the suspects confessed to being part of the rebel group involved in arms proliferation in exchange for cocoa with their Nigerian collaborators.

It said that four mobile handsets were recovered from the suspects now in detention undergoing further investigation.

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The statement also said that in another operation following actionable intelligence, troops deployed at Natilde community in Bantaji District of Wukari Local Government Area intercepted a truck with registration number WKR 66 BB, transporting 19 pieces of stolen pipelines belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).

It said that further collaborative efforts with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Wukari Division led to the recovery of an additional 11 pipes, bringing the total to 30.

“The recovered items have been handed over to the NSCDC Wukari Division for further investigation and necessary action.

“The 6 Brigade Nigerian Army will remain resolute in its commitment to safeguarding lives and property while ensuring the security of critical national infrastructure.

“We urge members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to enhance our collective efforts in maintaining peace and security,” the statement added.