Ogun State House of Assembly has commended the management team of International Breweries Plc, for giving high regards to the promotion of local content through massive employment of Nigerians in the company and major reliance on local sources of raw materials for their products.

The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, gave the commendation, while leading other members of the Assembly on a facility tour of the company as part of the stakeholders’ engagement with the Management of the Gateway Plant of the Company along Abeokuta-Sagamu interchange in Obafemi/ Owode Local Government Area of the State.

Oluomo noted that for the Company to have Nigerians occupying the management positions and for all its employees being mainly Nigerians, was a good step towards the growth and development of the nation’s economy.

He also acknowledged the laudable efforts of the company in according high regards to safety in work environment, noting that such step would reduce office accidents and promote well-being of workers, which in turn would help boost the overall output of the company.

He encouraged the organisation not to rest on its oars, stressing the need to further encourage internship programmes for undergraduates of engineering from tertiary institutions and corps members posted to the State on safety and other training that would advance their career prospects.

Earlier in his presentation on safety and production process in the company, the Head of the Gateway Plant, Mr. Akintayo Olutunde, explained that the company which had its headquarters in Belgium, began its operations in the State in 2018, aside from other plants in Ilesha, Onisha and PortHarcourt.

Mr. Olutunde said that the company accorded high regards to safety, maintenance, quality control, logistics and safe environment, adding that it relied on 97% local packaging materials with over 15,000 being employed through value chain.

He stressed that the company paraded 99% local manpower utilization out of 2,000 employees of the company, with high regards to water stewardship, smart agriculture,climate action, youth entrepreneurship and empowerment as well as stakeholders’ engagement.