UNIZIK students lament over hike in price of sachet water

Osigwe Chinaza, Awka 

The recent hike in the price of sachet water in Awka metropolis has generated concerns among Students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

The students who are residents in Awka have decried their fate in the situation occasioned by the price hike. They noted that the recent price increase has subjected them to suffering amidst the biting economic hardship in the country.

Narrating his ordeal, a 200 level student of Mass Communication, Ada Nweze, stated that she has been one of the worst hit of the prize hike and that her inability to afford a bag of sachet water made her thirsty for days. ” I had to go thirsty for days, something I had not done before. I almost got sick but thank God that I didn’t” she stated.

Corroborating, Valentine Nwuche,  a 400 level student of the department of Biochemistry expressly stated that the hike was uncalled for, noting that it was just a means to torture the students.

He said: “I really don’t see any reason why there should be an increase in satchet water,  is it not water again? During the short strike embarked on by the union, most shopkeepers increased the price of a bag of water from 250 to 400. Is this not wickedness?” 

However students are not the only ones affected by the hike. Mrs Amara Nwosu, A shopkeeper, at Awka, speaking to Odogwublog,  noted the adverse effect of the hike on her business ” I didn’t know that  there has been an increase in the bags of water, I sold about thirty bags of water that day not knowing I was making a huge mistake. It was later that I got to know what was going on but by then my water had finished. It was really painful to me because I made a huge loss that day, now I buy ten bags of satchet water against the thirty bags I used to buy”

Nevertheless, Mr Ogechi Anthony, the Assistant Managaging Director of De Lily satchet water Industry, Mbaukwu, attributed the reason for the sudden increase in the price of satchet water to the high cost of materials in the country.

“The hike wasn’t not something we wanted but because of some issues like the high cost of materials and high cost if vehicle  maintenance, the union of satchet water producers had to mandate it’s members to go on  a three -days strike to craft out new prices. It was after the strike that the new prices were made. ” She said. Going further, she noted” The union made it clear that anyone caught selling below the stipulated price which is 2500 for ten bags would be imposed an undisclosed fine”

However, she expressed hope that the price would reduce in the long run, but needed the patience and cooperation of all to get the cost of production affordable. Also, she made an appeal to the companies in charge of the materials needed for the production to reduce their prices to help the producers produce and lower the price.