There is a continuous threat by some states and the Nigeria central government to ban the use of cellophane bags in packaging water, the well known ‘pure water’ within Nigeria. In as much as the purity and hygienic situation of the water is doubtful, it’s consumption is increasing everyday in Nigeria. The government position on while it is necessary to place a ban on the use of sachet water is traced to the desire of putting an end to street loitering and protecting the environment so as to ensure it sustainability.
The waste found in our surroundings, streets and dumps sites dominated with cellophane bags from sachet water and other related products. This waste aside being wash by rain and blocking the little drainage, it also pollutes the environment. It is difficult to find a term that qualifies this kind of situation in a country that developed policies and laws to up-hold environmental sanitation in the face of international communities. Considering this one will be tempted to justify the government position as noble and welcome initiative that will contributes to ensuring environmental friendliness. In the second school of thought series of questions are purse and requires answers to adequately justifies government position to mention few: ‘what are alternatives provided by the authorities to over-come the impact of banning sachet water on households? Is it the only way to ensure environmental friendliness? Who will bear the consequences of the ban, poor households or rich households? The government decision will be consider noble if the above questions are satisfactorily answered.
Similar situations happened in other countries: in India, Gorai home generate approximately 2.3 million tonnes of garbage in open dumps with an average height of over 26 meters. This garbage was transformed into green areas which help in cleaning the environment and reducing emissions of gasses. In Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia waste is being converted to wealth and not in banning the products that generate the waste. It is much better introducing systems that recycle used materials rather than outright ban on the products. The recycling process can maintain the products, generate employment for the inhabitants and also ensure environmental sustainability.
When right things are planned in a wrong ways, it sends a wrong message and signal that attract criticism from the general public. Government decision on issues should always be tested on the following key areas: Economic benefits, financial benefits, social benefits and the environmental impact. The decision to implement any policy or law should be look beyond only one of the above benefits. What is the economic, social and financial implication of banning a product (sachets water) that has gain public acceptance? The middle and low income earners depends entirely on sachets water even the group of rich people.
The agencies responsible for providing public water supply have fail in their responsibilities of providing portable pipe borne water which led to the development of alternatives and coping strategies by individual to bridged the gap created and a substitute to the desirable which is pipe borne water. It is important to note that ban on sachets water can not stop loitering of the environment as there other products that use same method of packaging. Government should device other means of recycling the waste generated from this product and other products which does not only keep the environment clean and friendly, but also create job for the inhabitants as well as ensuring environmental sustainability.
By
Desmond Chieshe.
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