George Okoh in Makurdi
The Senior Special Assistant to the Benue State Governor on Social Investment Terhide Utaan, who is the state’s Focal Person on Social Investment, has assured representatives of FrieslandCampina, producers of Peak, Three Crowns and Frisco, of mutual partnership for sustainable school feeding programme in the state.
He gave the assurance in his Makurdi office when the company, led by its Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Gbenga George and Public Relations Manager, Adeola Temitope visited to present the proposal for the planned school feeding programme in the state.
On behalf of Governor Samuel Ortom, Utaan thanked the company for its efforts in nourishing Nigerians with quality diary nutrition, adding that the state government would look into the proposal to reach an agreement for better nourishment of school children.
He also called for the incorporation of Vitamin A in the company’s diary product for the overall growth and wellbeing of Nigerian children.
In his presentation, George said the company is riding on the ambition of the Federal Government of Nigeria to nourish school children in the country, adding that FrieslandCampina started supplying milk to Nigerian schools in 2003 in Lagos before moving to Osun State and has now expanded to the northern parts of the country.
He explained that the company aims at ensuring that the average Nigerian child is well nourished and to complement government’s efforts at improving the performances of students and targets children aged five to 11 in public and private schools.
Sharing the company’s history, Temitope said it started in 1861 in partnership with Friesland Netherlands and commenced operations in Nigeria in 1954 before its incorporation in 1973. It is the first company in Nigeria to get International Standard Organisation (ISO) Certification (in 1997) and was renamed Friesland Foods WAMCO Nigeria Plc in 2005.
