Crisis: 2 million youths may lose their jobs in Kano state

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

– Many producers were compelled to shut down due to the increase in price of polythene used for packaging the commodity

– The situation compelled the Association of Sachet Water Producers of Nigeria to increase the price of ‘pure water’

The situation has forced the closure of about 60% of the `pure water’ producing factories in Kano state.

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

Vanguard reports that Alhaji Muktar Tata, the secretary-general of the state chapter of Association of Sachet Water Producers of Nigeria, revealed this while speaking with newsmen on Wednesday, March 16, in Kano.

Tata explained that many producers were compelled to shut down due to the increase in price of polythene used for packaging the commodity. He said that in January the material was sold for N480,000 per tonne, but then the price increased to N1.1 million.

“The situation has forced the closure of about 60% of the `pure water’ producing factories in the state.

“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 noted.

Tata said that the situation had compelled the association to increase the price of ‘pure water’ from N5 to N10 per sachet, and N100 per bag of 20 sachets as against N60 before.

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

The closure of the factories will raise unemployment rate in the state.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has announced that he will refuse to honour his pledge to grant N5000 to each unemployed Nigerian.

He said he would rather focus on funding the construction of infrastructure, as well as education, agriculture and mining to create employment opportunities for able bodied young men.