The UK Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, has commended Guinness Nigeria for promoting job creation and scholarship schemes in the country.
Llewellyn-Jones gave the commendation during a recent courtesy visit to the Guinness site in Benin, which coincided with the Guinness Nigeria Scholarship Award Ceremony.
Speaking after the visit, the UK envoy also commended the brewing firm for being a credible taxpayer.
“Guinness Nigeria Benin is a big employer, taxpayer, and it is contributing massively to the state and country. It is a British business, and we are keen that it gets all the support it needs to enable it to grow, expand and continue to support jobs in Nigeria. We are impressed with the team and its management style, and we are really supportive of its future,” said Llewellyn-Jones.
Also speaking, Guinness Corporate Relations Director/Company Secretary Rotimi Odusola described the UK diplomat’s visit to the Benin site and his participation in the scholarship presentation as notable.
According to him, the annual Guinness Nigeria Scholarship Scheme is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes to support students across the country, especially from the company’s host communities, in their education.
“Twenty-one undergraduates from tertiary institutions in the country were given cash awards each at this ceremony under the 2021 scholarship scheme,” he said.
Aside from the scholarships, Odusola disclosed that the company extended its CSR to many communities by providing potable water, economic empowerment schemes and eye care programmes.
He also stated that Guinness Nigeria had continued to create jobs for over 180,000 people in its value chain and is a source of livelihood to over 27,000 sorghum farmers.
He added that the Edo State Internal Revenue Service recently commended the Guinness Benin office for complying with tax obligations in the state.
Two of the scholarship scheme beneficiaries, Richard Eromosele and Larry Eguasa, from Oregbeni, the firm’s host community in Benin, lauded Guinness for supporting their academic pursuit.
