Over the past few weeks, however, the campaign has picked up steam with talks at Christian Methodist and St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High Schools.
The following schools will also be reached before the end of February: Accra Academy, Kaneshie Technical High School and Achimota School.
As part of ABL’s objective of creating a sociable world, the initiative is to ensure that the company’s products are developed, marketed, sold and consumed with high regard for individual and community well-being.
The campaign is meant to reach 8,000 underage persons directly by March 2016, and aims to educate the public — particularly persons under the age of 18 — about the dangers of alcohol consumption.
It is in pursuit of inculcating affirmative change in the younger generation that the company organised a seminar on the harmful effects of underage drinking for over 1,000 students, drawn from select second cycle schools within the Greater Accra Region,.
The facilitator of the anti-underage drinking campaign, ABL’s Corporate Affairs Manager Cyrus de Graft-Johnson, notes that ABL as a good corporate citizen has the mandate to prevent underage drinking and demonstrate the company’s commitment to the well-being of society.
He advised the students to desist from alcohol intake, since it could jeopardise their future aspirations and also pose serious health issues such as impaired brain development and physical harm.
“In as much as making huge sales and profits are important, we will not renege on our commitment to promoting responsible alcohol consumption.
It is our belief that alcohol consumption is for adults and not for people below the age of 18.
The issue of underage drinking may not be a pronounced problem as of now, but we cannot sit and wait for it to take deeper root in our society. As they say, prevention is better that cure,’’ Mr. deGraft-Johnson said.
While cautioning students to discard the notion that alcohol can assist them to study better, he urged them to focus on their studies, read widely and take their education seriously.
He noted that this interaction follows some other programmes undertaken by the company since 2014 to impact positively on the youth.
“We are stepping up the pace to ensure that more underage persons are reached.
We will welcome any collaboration, any institution that is ready to go on this journey with us.
The school authorities have so far been very accommodating and we are grateful,” he stressed.
Some of the students who have so far participated in the interactive talk sessions thanked ABL for the sensitisation programme, adding that they have acquired valuable information.
“This seminar has made me understand that alcohol consumption, at my age, will impede my performance and mental development,” stated 15-year old Belinda Dogbe of Achimota Basic School.
“I will now politely refuse to go on any errand that requires me to buy alcohol for any adult,” says 14-year old Samuel Ofoe of Kotobabi 2 JHS.
Both students participated in a pre-Valentine Day talk session in partnership with ‘Dream Believe Achieve’, a mentoring group of young professionals.
Source: B&FT Online