The Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, has appealed to governments at all levels to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the country.

The association’s National Chairman, Babatunde Lawal, made the appeal while speaking in an interview with journalists on Monday in Ota, Ogun.

Mr Lawal noted that the ability of governments to provide an atmosphere conducive for businesses would help ATWAP members survive and actualise their potential.

The ATWAP chairman said that the appeal became necessary because the role of its members in providing water to the public could not be overemphasised.

“Water is scarce in every part of this country, and our members are contributing by making water available to Nigerians and non-Nigerians. No state government has been able to provide water for its people in a quantity that will satisfy the population that they have. Our members are providing this essential commodity at the grassroots, in the cities and even at government offices to the satisfaction of human beings,” he said.

Mr Lawal noted that “the vacuum created as a result of the government’s inability to provide adequate water to the people has given room to what we do.”

The ATWAP chairman identified lack of funding, inadequate attention to infrastructure, and government policies as the challenges confronting the business environment and the association.

“The government policies directly affect many things put in place by our members, especially the continuous inflationary trend, which makes workers demand wage increases without making much profit.

“We are appealing to the Federal Government to tackle the electricity crisis as the buying of diesel between N1,200 and N1,250 per litre for generators, drive machines and equipment was badly biting into the profit margins of our members,” he said.

Mr Lawal explained that ATWAP members had put in place some of the infrastructure that governments could not provide to bridge the infrastructural gaps.

The ATWAP chairman further said that surviving in business now required huge support from the government as the water industry was germane to the economy.

He noted that their members cannot compromise on quality and safety control because anything less than this would likely lead to epidemics.

Mr Lawal urged the government to provide a channel through which members could solicit funding, noting that maintaining quality and safety control and standards was not cheap.

“When you want to grant short loans, call this association for development, as we have numerous areas where support is needed,” he said.

He stressed the need for the federal and state governments to recognise ATWAP and invite it for a dialogue to seek solutions to its challenges.

Mr Lawal said that with the government’s inability to generate water and distribute it to various homes, “our members are doing the distribution to homes with the intention of making little profits to justify why we are in businesses.’’