Leading brewer, International Breweries’ Plc along with key stakeholders have continued efforts at ensuring that Nigerians embrace responsible drinking habits during the 2023 International Breweries’ Smart Drinking Roundtable Session which was held in Port Harcourt.

The event, with the theme: “Exploring Strategies to Promote Responsible Drinking Habits and Reduce the Negative Impact of Excessive Alcohol Consumption”, is the second round of its Responsible Beverage Service (RBS); the company’s intervention program in the country.

The maiden edition of responsible beverage service was held in Lagos last year.

According to the Corporate Communications Manager of International Breweries, Eniola Alli-Faweya, the company shared the ambition of the United Nations and the World Health Organisation to reduce the harmful use of alcohol around the world.

“At IBPLC, our responsibility towards our consumers and host communities is at the core of our business and remains unwavering.  We share the ambition of the United Nations and the World Health Organization to reduce the harmful use of alcohol around the world. Through the Responsible Beverage Service, we aim to make a tangible impact on society by actively addressing the issues associated with alcohol abuse.”

The International Breweries’ responsible beverage service is an intervention program in Nigeria aimed at reducing alcohol-related harms caused by drunk driving, underage drinking, binge drinking, gender-based violence, and alcohol consumption by pregnant women.

Stakeholders at the session urged Nigerians to embrace responsible drinking habits.

The keynote speaker and President of the Society for Adolescent and Young People’s Health in Nigeria, Professor Adesegun Fatusi, emphasized the need for collaboration between government bodies, non-governmental organizations, and vibrant communities to promote responsible drinking and take momentous actions to curtail detrimental alcohol consumption.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Adebiyi Olufunsho, who was represented by the Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Taiye Ologun said, “The role of corporate organizations like International Breweries in promoting responsible alcohol consumption through evidence-based initiatives is highly encouraged.”

In attendance were eminent stakeholders and representatives from the Federal and State Ministries of Health, Federal Road Safety Commission, Nigerian Medical Association, Hospitality and Tourism Management Association of Nigeria, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Rivers State, and the Nigerian Police Force, amongst others.