Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Osita Aboloma has challenged the management of Guinness Nigeria Plc to ensure that Nigerian consumers get value for money at all times while also ensuring their safety.
Aboloma stated this at the end of a facility tour of Guinness Breweries recently in Ogba, Lagos by a SON team led by the Chief Executive. The DG reminded the company of SON’s presence at all times to ensure diligent implementation and enforcement of standards in the collective interest of Consumers, Manufacturers and the nation’s economic development.
According to him, “the company as one of the largest and renowned Standards bearers in the manufacture of alcoholic, non-alcoholic beverage and spirits in the African continent. The company’s adherence to good manufacturing practices was exemplified by the successful certification of 24 of its products to the SON Mandatory Conformity Assessment Scheme (MANCAP) to provide assurance to consumers and guarantee compliance with the relevant standards” he said
He commended the company’s consistency in maintaining its certification to the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Standards (ISO 14001), describing it as a proud ambassador of products and systems quality adding that, Guinness Nigeria PLC Management should not to relent in providing technical and institutional support for standards development and harmonization activities in Nigeria and across the African continent through active participation in working group and technical committee meetings.
In his remarks, Guinness Managing Director/Chief Executive, Baker Magunda acknowledged the invaluable support and guidance of SON to the company over many decades, in ensuring the steady growth and expansion of its equity through diligent standards application and promotion of international best practices.
He reiterated the company’s commitment to continual improvement in its products and service offerings, stressing that Guinness Nigeria PLC cherishes it’s partnership with SON and other regulatory agencies.
Also addressing the SON delegation, Director, Corporate Relations, Mrs. Viola Graham-Douglas went down memory lane on the establishment of the first Guinness brewery in Nigeria, stating that Nigeria is the largest stout market in the world after Ireland.
She commended SON for its efforts in ensuring the ease doing business through the automation of its processes, especially relating to products and management systems certifications.
SON team was conducted round the brewery facility by Messrs. Hanna Colman, Supply Chain Director, Kingsley Imade, Site Director, Ogba Brewery and Miss Mojisola Akpata, Head, Trade Regulatory and Government Affairs among others. On the DG, team were, Mrs. Chinyere Egwuonwu, Director, Standards Development; Mr. Kabir Y. Mohammed, Director, DG’s office; Mrs Mojisola Kehinde, Director, Laboratory Services and Mrs. Talatu Ethan, Deputy Director, Micronutrient Laboratory.
Others were Mrs. Yeside Akinlabi, Deputy Director, Food Chemistry Laboratory; Engr. Fred Akingbesote, Deputy Director, MANCAP; Mrs. Oby Egbuciem, State Coordinator, Lagos 11, Bola Fashina, SA to DG/Head, Public Relations and Victor Amadi, Head, Protocol, DG’s office, Lagos amongst others
