to empower 18,000 youths in 2018

By Happy Ekeyede

NIGERIAN Bottling Company Limited, NBC, anchor bottlers for Coca-Cola has expressed determination to continue its empowerment programme for the youth through their various initiatives. The company made this known at a media parley held in Lagos. Speaking at the parley, the Director, Legal, Public Affairs and Communications, NBC, Mrs. Sade Morgan noted that NBC which kick-started the youth empowerment initiative last year, would continue in 2018 by empowering 15,000 youths. Morgan said the idea behind the empowerment was in line with the company’s vision, which is geared towards imparting employability and entrepreneurship skills to the youths.

While commending the media for their invaluable support in the last 12 months, Morgan stated that the company was already looking forward towards sustaining and improving on existing relationship.

She said the NBC would continue to intensify efforts by focusing more on some of their life-changing initiatives for the youths which she noted were open only to people between the ages of 18 and 30, stressing that apart from these initiatives, NBC was also involved in a couple of programmes meant to better the lot of others above that age bracket.

While taking stock of 2017 activities, Morgan said NBC had already empowered no fewer than120,000 females through its Educating Nigerian Girls in New Enterprise Initiative, stating that some of the participants are now proud retailers for Coca-Cola.

She said: ”I must say that our focus has been largely on the youth because we believe that they hold the future for Nigeria.We cannot afford to ignore them. That explains why our youth empowerment and personal development programmes are aimed at eradicating poverty and hunger in the country.”

Commenting on other activities, Morgan stated that NBC had sustained its empowerment for women by training 100 of them every year to become certified mechanics through the lady’s mechanic initiative.

She added: ”When next you go to a mechanic’s workshop, look out for a female mechanic. We need to encourage these people.”

Responding to questions from journalists, Public Affairs and Communications Manager, Coca Cola Nigeria, Nwamaka Onyemelukwe stated that Coca-Cola was ready to improve on its support for sports in the coming year noting that plans were already on ground to the roll out of initiatives on sports for the youth.

She said, “We want to encourage the spirit of sportsmanship in young adults. It is important that we engage the youth to prevent them from being a tool for criminal activities.”

adding  that the idea was to help the youth to channel their energy into productive ventures to reduce restive among them.

According to her, one of the initiatives, COPA Coca-Cola grassroot football has had massive impact in the lives of young boys in villages across the country.