Guinness Nigeria Plc has stepped up its commitment to responsible drinking behavior among consumers by partnering with the National Youth Service corps (NYSC) to deliver its innovative and trailblazing DRINKIQ training sessions to officials and corp members. The brewer hopes to spread the responsible drinking message across the country.

Speaking at the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Guinness Nigeria and NYSC in Abuja, the Director General, NYSC, Brigadier General Sule-Kazaure, who was represented by Director, Community Development Service and Special Projects, Mrs. Rhoda Kaka Kwaki, commended the hand of fellowship extended by Guinness Nigeria to engrain responsible drinking in the consciousness of many young adults and society at large. She said that the partnership shows Guinness Nigeria’s inherent positive feelings towards the welfare and development of Nigerians, particularly the youth.

“This DRINKiQ campaign, a form of giving back to the society to be implemented by the Community Development Service and Special Projects is bound to impact positively on the entire society and it is my sincere hope that what we have sown today will blossom into enduring and sustainable entity for the benefit of our communities and environs,” Kwaki said.

L-R: Director, Corporate Relations, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Sesan Sobowale, Director Legal Services, National Youth Service Corp, Ahmed Tijani Ibrahim and Director, Community Development Services, NYSC, Rhoda Kaka Kwaki, during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between Guinness and NYSC on Responsible Drinking Campaign Initiative held in Abuja on 4th November 2016

The Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Peter Ndegwa, who was represented by the company’s Corporate Relations Director, Mr. Sesan Sobowale, said that the occasion was historic and a momentous stride in the right direction with the intent to reducing irresponsible use of alcohol in society.

“We are committed to creating awareness about responsible drinking and promoting the enjoyment of alcohol and our brands as part of a healthy balanced lifestyle. We also believe that efforts to reduce the misuse of alcohol are most effective when governments, society, individuals, families as well as industry work together. Therefore, our approach is built around providing consumers with information promoting rigorous company and industry standards for responsible marketing, supporting effective programmes and partnerships as the one that we are signing today to promote alcohol education and to tackle misuse and advocating effective evidence-based policy,” Sobowale enthused.

Sobowale said that the training is aimed at raising the public’s awareness about alcohol so that people can have a better understanding of the drinking choices that they make, including the decision not to drink, when to drink and how much to drink.

The programme would initially start with Training-the-Trainers (ToT Programme) which would equip the NYSC officials with information and knowledge about responsible drinking. These officials will then provide training to the corps members with practical tips, strategies and confidence they need to become champions for responsible drinking in their communities.