BACK-TO-SCHOOL: NBC kits 5,000 students in five states

The Nigerian Bottling Company Limited, (NBC) renewed its commitment to the nation’s education sector recently by presenting a total of 5000 “Back-to-School” kits to pupils of primary schools in Aba, Lagos, Kaduna, Abuja and  Enugu states.

The annual programme was aimed at motivating the pupils to excel in their academics, as well as alleviating the huge financial burden on parents and guardians for the new academic session.
While presenting the kits to the excited pupils of Christ Assembly Primary School Lagos, the Managing Director of NBC, Mr. Ben Langat, who was represented by the Director of Human Resources, Mrs. Grace Omo-Lamai, said the company’s investment in education was borne out of the commitment to contributing to the sustainability of the communities of their operation. He said a total of 5000 students in public primary schools benefited from the initiative this year.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Education, Lagos State, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, represented by the Director of Education, Zonal Office, Mrs. Abiola Abiodun Omole, commended the laudable initiative. She said such gesture would remain indelible in the hearts of the children, noting that it would ignite in their young hearts the fire of excellence. She commended the management of the company for its continued support for education in the state.
In his remarks, the Education Secretary, Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area (LGA), Hon. Adewale Adeogun, stressed the importance of the kits to pupils of Christ Assembly Nursery and Primary School in Ajegunle, Olodi Apapa, noting that it would instill in them a sense of pride and confidence. He expressed the appreciation of the local government to NBC’s economic and social investment activities in Apapa, one of the company’s host communities.
Also, Mr. Kenechukwu Ugochukwu Nwosu, the Secretary, Abia State Universal Basic Education Board, lauded the management of NBC for contributing to the intellectual growth of the young pupils in Ohabiam Community Primary School 1 & 2, Aba. At the presentation of the kits to pupils in Kuchinguro Community Primary School, Abuja, Alhaji Ibrahim Wanbi, the District Head of Kuchingoro community, expressed his profound gratitude to the company for the kind gesture.
NBC’s investment in the education and development of young people is firmly rooted in its corporate social responsibility framework. The company is one of the major partners of the Lagos State Support our School initiative launched by Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) in 2003 with the aim of encouraging the private sector investment in public education in the state through infrastructure development, capacity building and supply of educational materials, amongst other viable projects to support learning.
For its partnership and commitment to the “Support our School Initiative”, NBC was honoured with the Lagos State Government CSR awards in 2010, 2012 and 2013. Some of the company’s social investment in primary education include: provision and upgrading of infrastructure in schools, capacity building for teachers, and the back-to-school initiative.
Recall that NBC, a member of Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company A.G., was incorporated in November 1951 and is the anchor bottler and marketer of the Coca-Cola brands in the country.
The Sun