The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Association of Sachet and Packaged Water Producers (NASPAWAP) has described a report by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) which states that 34.1% of sources used for the production of sachet water are contaminated with faecal matter, as another way in bringing down another thriving Industry in Ghana.
According to a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) conducted in 2017-2018, about 34.1 percent of sources used for the production of sachet water are contaminated with faecal matter.
The report came out after data from the 2021 population and housing census on the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene sector revealed that 37.4 percent of households in Ghana depend on Sachet Water as the main source of drinking.
Data from the 2021 Population and Housing census indicate the use of Sachet water as the main source of drinking water has quadrupled in about a decade.
But in response, National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Association of Sachet and Packaged Water Producers (NASPAWAP) states unequivocally that the report by the GSS lacks merit, and the motive is not clear.
They view this as a Malicious attempt to hack down another thriving industry, and to draw populous attention to oneself by hitting on targeted sensitive sectors to create the maximum effect of causing fear and panic.
In a statement signed by the President of NASPAWAP Magnus Nunoo cited by Ahotoronline.com, the NEC rejected the report by a certain ‘Dr Takyi’ of the GSS on the following grounds;
- The survey was conducted in 2017, however, the damming report was put in the public domain in 2022 thus after 5 years. Considering the growth in consumption of sachet water which quadrupled over a decade as per the GSS own report, then the GSS silence over the past 5 years could have led 72% of our population that depend on sachet water suffering dire health consequences.
- The report focuses on sachet water alone, however bottled water uses the same sources (i.e., borehole, Ghana water or natural spring) thus the motive seems to be the victimization of only sachet water.
- It is important to note that about 95% of packaged water producers in the Greater Accra and other regional capitals source their raw water from the finish product of the Ghana Water company which is distributed to every household connected in Ghana, hence is the GSS trying to say that water from the Ghana Water Company contains fecal matter?
- The GSS could have done justice to the report by providing further and correlating data on water and sanitation related diseases like cholera, guinea worm and river blindness over the same period and correlate how the health barometer relates to their findings. GSS must know that sachet and packaged water companies do not package sourced water without subjecting it to treatment processes. Every sachet and packaged water companies subject sourced water through vigorous processes using state of the art filtration systems such as the reverse osmosis among others. In the event that the sourced water as the report suggests is contaminated then the filtration system is capable of removing deadly bacteria and viruses from the sourced water thereby making the water potable.
- The FDA FACTOR: The FDA is mandated by law to regulate the food industry. Every packaged water on the Ghanaian market registered by the FDA has an ID number printed on the packaged product which is unique to each SKU. Companies are mandated to renew their facility licenses yearly. By inference every brand goes through a rigorous renewal process that will ensure that products that are challenged are corrected or recalled.
NASPAWAP said it would be most grateful if the GSS could make their primary data and primary samples available for an independent analysis to be carry out to bring out the facts.
The Sachet water producers lastly appealed to the general public to disregard survey that has no merit to the packaged water industry, and the conclusion that sachet water sources is contaminated with fecal matter has no basis, as the water packaged industry do not package, distribute and sells sourced water but rather Treated water that goes through various protocols of production regulated by the FDA and other agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Factory Inspectorate, The environmental health Officers at the district and local levels within the local assemblies.
Read full statement below:
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh / Ahotoronline.com
