As Govt Urges Residents To Be Wary Of Expired Imported Water
The Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police has arrested five persons for impersonating as officials of the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) ostensibly to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
The suspects were nabbed by some water producers in Ikotun-Igando area of the state, and promptly handed over to the police.
They were accused of obtaining by false pretence and impersonation.
Investigations revealed that the suspects were parading themselves as LASWARCO officials in Ipaja and Ayobo axis of Alimosho.
Responding to the development, Executive Secretary of LASWARCO, Mrs Funke Adepoju urged members of the public to be wary of criminal elements impersonating as officials of the Commission for the purpose of perpetrating fraud.
She said the major focus of the Commission, in line with its regulatory mandate, is to ensure that operators in the water abstraction, production and distribution industry comply with best manufacturing procedures to safeguard the health of the people, while also ensuring viability of the sector.
According to Adepoju, LASWARCO in conjunction with Task Force of Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) and Water Producers Association of Nigeria (WAPAN) are enforcing compliance with regulatory provisions across the state, adding that on no account should the people go into any transaction with impersonators.
Adepoju said the suspects would be prosecuted in line with the law, just as she assured that the full weight of the law would be applied on anyone found to be indulging in such criminal act, going forward.
She also said enquiries or clarifications about LASWARCO should be directed to the Commission’s office at Block 19 (3rd Floor), Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
In a related development, Adepoju said in the light of revelations by Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Command of the Nigeria Customs Service of impoundment of a forty foot container load of expired water from Poland, it has become expedient to alert residents to be extremely careful of the bottled water they consume.
“We are also reviewing the situation. We have deployed our officers to the nooks and crannies of the state to be sure the said expired water from Poland is not in circulation in our state.
“However, it has become expedient to alert residents and urge them not to buy any water that is not certified by the Commission. If members of the public have information regarding the circulation of the said imported water, they should notify LASWARCO without delay and necessary action will be promptly carried out to safeguard the health of residents,” Adepoju said.
