NYSC moves to curb irresponsible drinking among corps members

In an effort to encourage responsible drinking  among  corps members in the country, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has partnered Nigeria’s  alcoholic beverage company, Guinness Nigeria Plc.

This, it said, would be delivered through the Guinness DRINKIQ programme, which involves training of its officials and corps members.

The NYSC said this at the weekend during  the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NYSC and Guinness Nigeria Plc, in Abuja.

The Director- General, NYSC, Brigadier- General Sule Kazaure, who was represented by the  director, Community Development Service and Special Projects, Mrs Rhoda Kaka Kwaki, described the partnership as a clear demonstration of the company’s positive disposition 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,” he said.

The managing director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr Peter Ndegwa, who was represented by the company’s Corporate Relations Director, Mr Sesan Sobowale, said the initiative  was  directed with a view to curbing the 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,” he said

On the scope of the partnership, Sobowale  said that the DRINKiQ programme is one of the training platforms the company has used to leverage its responsible drinking agenda.

“The training  aims to raise 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.

“In view of this, the programme would start with a Train the Trainers, ToT programme, where these trainers gain information and knowledge about the use and misuse of alcohol and they can then train other people, who in turn become advocates as they go into their places of primary assignment to enjoin people not to drink irresponsibly and to make the right choices.”

He further explained that the trained NYSC officials who will be drawn from the 36 states of the Federation would train at least 50 corps members in their states.

The corps members, he added would then be equipped with  practical tips, strategies and confidence to become champions for responsible drinking in their communities.