From Anthony Nwachukwu, Lagos
In response to the humanitarian crisis caused by floods in some parts of the country, International Breweries Plc has donated relief materials worth millions of naira to the various affected communities in Onitsha and environs in Anambra State.
Some of the items presented to the flood disaster victims in Ogbaru Local Government Area over the weekend through the Internally Displaced Persons Camp Manager, Chinedu Okosa, were daily subsistence needs, including cartons of vegetable oil, cartons of noodles, branded bags of rice, malt beverage drinks and cartons of spaghetti, according to a press statement from the company.
Speaking at the presentation, the Corporate Affairs Manager of International Breweries Plc, Damian Igwe, commiserated with the people and Anambra State Government on the loss of lives and property.
“This is one of our corporate social responsibility interventions. The intention is to support the displaced persons in Ogbaru LGA through the donation of relief materials, majorly groceries,” Igwe said.
“We are moved by the pain of the people and are only demonstrating the compassion that a socially responsible organisation should demonstrate at a time like this.”
Also speaking on the occasion, the Plant Manager, International Breweries Plc, Onitsha, Fidelis Igwe, noted that the Ogbaru community had been a good host to the company, and the company saw it as its responsibility to support them during this trying period.
Therefore, “it is good we reciprocate the good gesture when it is needed. We thought it important to give the community something to keep them going.”
Receiving the items, Okosa commended the brewer for the gesture, noting that all the flats in the two buildings donated by Hon. Chuchu Onyema (Ogbaru Federal Constituency) have been fully occupied by about 1,046 displaced persons from 647 households.
He appealed to the state and Ogbaru council to do more for the displaced people as the shortage of facilities in the camp was increasing their suffering.
One of the displaced persons, Chioma Okeke, said she was looking forward to returning home to resume school, adding: “I have lost a lot academically because I am supposed to be in school with others. My community is blocked from the rest of the world.”
International Breweries Plc, affiliate of AB InBev – the largest beer maker in the world with over 500 beer brands, is the maker of premium products such as Hero Lager, Trophy Lager, Trophy Extra Stout, Beta Malt, Grand Malt, among others.
