[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n what look like taking the campaign to commercial drivers, Guinness Nigeria Limited, in collaboration with Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) flagged off 2016 ‘Ember Months Responsible Drinking Awareness’ Campaign on Wednesday 30th at Ketu garage, Lagos.
Speaking at the event, Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Peter Ndegwa said, ” the ember months ‘Drink Drive’ campaign which we gather here to flag off is one of the crucial platforms we leverage to promote a culture in which adults who choose to drink alcohol do so responsibly, ” adding that, ” our partnership has endured over a decade.”
According to him, the campaign which has blossomed, making it possible for the them to jointly deliver ember months campaign annually, reaching millions of Nigerians, was formed after the United Nations declared 2004 as International Road Safety year.
According to the company’s MD, year-in-year-out, Guinness Nigeria Plc, during the safety campaign, delivers to its consumers messages that are consistent with the company’s values.
“Consumers are at the heart of everything we do as an organization and are the basis of our success,” he pointed out. “We are, therefore concerned when we see consumers put themselves at risk through practices like drink driving.”
He, therefore emphasized that through ember months campaign, Guinness aims to play a part in helping consumers to make the right choices.
“It underscores the fact that consuming alcohol prior to driving greatly increases the risk of car accident highway injuries and vehicular deaths,” he warned, reminding drivers that they must not drive under the influence of alcohol.
Enumerating the risk of driving under the influence of alcohol, Ndegwa said: ” it has been medically proven that while driving under the influence of alcohol, many of the skills that safe driving requires such as judgement, concentration and co-ordination are significantly impaired. Drink driving, therefore increases the likelihood of road accidents and puts the lives of drivers, passengers and other road users at risk.
”The timing of this campaign takes into cognisance the high frequency of vehicular movement during the ember months, particularly during the Christmas season.
“Historically, the occurrence of road accidents also increases during ember months. This campaign aims to help prevent alcohol-related accidents this season.
”As a company, we, therefore, emphasise very strongly that alcohol should not be consumed before driving or while behind the wheels.”
Also speaking at the occasion, the Sector Commander of FRSC, Hyginus Omeje said, it is customary in FRSC that at every period of the year, when the nation experience increase in vehicular movement, the corps doubles its effort in actualizing one of its core mandate of educating the motoring public on the proper use of the highway.
He explained: “It is noteworthy to state that FRSC being the lead agency in traffic management and administration in Nigeria has over the time organised a campaign of this magnitude with various stakeholders and NGOS and in continuation of this stead, is the 9th edition of Responsible Drinking Campaign being sponsored by Guinness Nigeria Plc as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility.”
He expressed profound gratitude to Guinness Nigeria Plc for sustaining the event for nine years, taking into cognisance the fact that Road Safety is shared responsibility.
The event was spiced with a drama that portray the danger of drinking before driving, aiming discouraging drinking of alcohol and taken dangerous drug by commercial drivers before driving.
The campaign also had in attendance Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, represented by the Director, Vehicle Inspection Services, Engineer Adbulazeez Toriola as the Special Guest of Honour, Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW), Chief Sunday Yusuf, Vice Chairman NURTW, Chief Ajilo Olowole and other officials of NURTW, members of the press, commercial drivers and other stakeholders.
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