By Mustapha Sesay
Trade and Marketing Manager at the Sierra Leone Brewery Limited, Desmond George, has raised concerns over the influx of foreign beer products into the country saying “it is greatly affecting the operation of the company and the competition is killing us”.
Speaking at a press conference at the company’s head office in Freetown, he said they were not protected by law as the country’s only brewery company, adding that in the cause of their operation the company had employed over 17,000 people nationwide.
This figure, George noted, included distributors, transporters and retailers, returns for which he said had enabled the company to pay over Le 100 Billion in tax. He pleaded with Sierra Leoneans to patronise with them “so that we can do more for the country through our corporate social responsibility”.
The company’s General Manager, Willy Ngana observed that in the midst of the competitions and challenges the company was faced with, their determination and hard work had enabled them to win awards ranging from bronze to gold. He said that in 2013, the company was certified by the International Standard Organisation for the quality of their products, especially Star Beer.
He said they were more focused on empowering the people and the communities in which the company operated, adding that as "partners for growth" they had engaged themselves in developing the talent of young Sierra Leoneans “in line with the local content policy”.
Ngana said 52% of the raw materials used their for their production was locally produced, adding that they were involved in large scale industrial operation, which, he said was why they were being "environmentally friendly and to respect the community in which we operate”.
(C) Politico 24/06/14
