The Association of Table Water Producers (AOTWP), Kwara State branch has lamented challenges encounter in accessing state government and the Bank of Industry (BOI) loans.
The state Chairman of the Association, Alhaji Musa Kayode during an interview with Pilot Business on Saturday, said members of the association require loan to grow their businesses.
He said: “We have been trying to access loan as an association through the state Ministry of Commerce and Cooperatives, but we are finding it difficult.
“Despite the fact that we are contributing our quota to reduction of unemployment rate in the state and remittance of our taxes and levies to the government, we have not been given financial support.
“Since the inception of the association in the state, we have not enjoyed any loan package from the government while artisans are being given different kinds of loans.
“We are also experiencing difficulties in accessing the Bank of Industry loan in respect to the requirements,” the chairman stated.
Kayode then called on the state government to consider the producers of table water by providing them with soft loans to boost business activities in the state.
The chairman also called on both Federal and state regulatory agencies to assist them in checkmating activities of quack producers that are not licensed.
He, however, debunked the rumors that they are planning to increase the price of sachet water in the state.
“We don’t have any plan to increase the price of our products. The official price of sachet water remains N130 per bag. In fact the price have crashed down now as some producers are even selling theirs at N120 per bag to get more customers.
The AOTWP boss stressed that the major challenge confronting them are infrastructures, noting that the roads are in bad conditions and no access to portable water coupled with epileptic power supply.
He urged the state government to address these problems in order to boost economic activities in the state.
