The Association of Sachet water Producers in the Ashanti region is expected to withdraw a special taskforce instituted to check price undercutting by its members. This follows a joint committee meeting of the association and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, which had earlier asked the producer association to stop influencing other producers to sell the product at 10 Ghana pesewas. The Association was not enthused about the city authority’s interference in its operations and quest to protect the industry and consumer health. KMA Public Relations Officer, Godwin Okumah Nyame, says the series of meetings have been mutually beneficial. “They have the right to sell their product at the cost that they want. But the bottom line is that it is the consumer who has the right to make the choice… so we’re not in anyway trying to regulate or force them in anyway. For now there is an understanding and we’re hoping that when they get back, they’ll withdraw the taskforce from destroying people’s property”, he told Luv Biz Report. Secretary to the Association of Sachet Water Producers, Kofi Antwi-Adjei however insists the taskforce had not been out to destroy products of those retailing at 5 pesewas, but “to offer protection to those ones who are retailing at 10 pesewas, so that if anybody would want to harass or chastise them in anyway, they’ll be there to offer them protection”. The mandate of the taskforce is however being redefined with the involvement of the police and prior notice of the KMA. The Association will also collaborate with the KMA in activities to address the menace of plastic waste and weeding out unscrupulous sachet water producers in the system.