By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr Peter Ndegwa, has expressed the company’s commitment to increase the local sourcing of the raw materials used in its operations, adding that the firm would also consider partnering with farmers in Benue State towards this lofty initiative.
Speaking during a courtesy call on the Governor of the state, Mr Samuel Ortom at the Government House in Makurdi, Mr Ndegwa said that as Nigeria’s only total alcohol beverage company, Guinness Nigeria was proud of the robust partnerships which it has forged with government over the years, and shall continue to run its business in a responsible manner that creates wealth for the all Nigerians.
Mr Ndegwa was accompanied on the visit by the Corporate Relations Director, Mr Sesan Sobowale; Internal Communications and Employee Engagement Manager, Toni Anne Uwaifo; OXFAM’s head of programme, Mr Constant Tchona; along with other officials of the company and OXFAM, who were in the state to commission a solar powered water and sanitation facilities in the Tyowanye Community in Benue state. The facility was donated by Guinness Nigeria Plc in furtherance of the company’s commitment to providing safe and clean water to water-stressed communities in Nigeria.
While receiving Mr Ndegwa and his entourage, Mr Ortom commended the company’s giant strides in the manufacturing sector and expressed his pleasure at the social investments of Guinness Nigeria Plc in the state while calling on other corporate bodies and individuals to emulate them.
The high point of the visit was the induction of the Managing Director as an honourary member of the Tiv nation by Mr Ortom, who dressed him in Tiv regalia, an honour he said is usually reserved for friends of Benue state.
It would be recalled that in August 2016, Guinness Nigeria and WaterAid Nigeria partnered to construct two solar-powered water facilities in Gwam, Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
Aduragbemi Omiyale