Former governor of Cross River State, Mr Donald Duke has disclosed that beer has potential tool for poverty alleviation and to sharpen the economy of the country
He made the disclosure today while chairing the 2016 beer symposium of The Nigerian breweries held in Lagos.
He expressed dissatisfaction over what he called lack of information dissemination by the Nigerian breweries for not creating public awareness on the relevant of their products. He noted that beer is not just an alcoholic drink, rather natural products as orange juice. While explaining the relevant of beer which he said helps to keep the body healthy by preventing heart attack and diseases, Duke, who spoke on the theme of the event “Beer and Culture ” therefore admonished the public to avoid making it a habit, they should deviate from having drinking friends and also eschew from drinking away sorrows in order not to abuse the product.
The MD/CEO of The Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Nichoolas Vervelde said that beer export came from both Nigeria and Europe as a natural products as such they would continue stressing the important of beer consumption until it is recognised as healthy products.
While stressing its important, the CEO said that he was aware by Nigerians that in some parts of the country, no completion of traditional bride price items without beer as it is known with different brands. He urged the public to carry out research on it in order to know its value and also urged the people to avoid drinking while driving as there would be no excuse for accident victim, adding that the organization is working hand in hand to ensure that there is a behavourial change of drinking while driving.
The senior strategy manager Mr Tony Agenmonmen who spoke on the topic what is inside the bottle “made known that nothing is inside the beer bottle rather than pure natural water. He listed four ingredients used in the production of beer to be water, barley, hops and yeast,
He calculated that protein and carbohydrates in beer content is 2- 7 .5%, alcoholic is 2 -7.5% while water is 90 -97 %
Which according showed that water is the real content of beer
Prof. Bartholomew Okolo, microbiologist, former VC, UNN, OFR who further spoke on “the social and cultural benefit of beer “said that beer connotes a symbolic meaning and also conveyed messages in some situations. In his explanation, he made known that beer is usually associated with celebrations and is also symbolic vehicles for identifying cultural values and relationship
The DG/CEO Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Yaba Lagos, Prof. Innocent Ujah who also spoke on “what is good about the beer ” highlighted the factors which contribute to the effects of alcohol to be, the quantity an individual has drunk, amount of food eaten and the percentage of alcoholic in the beer others are the time span which the alcoholic took place, whether an individual has taken other prescription over the counter or street drugs among other factors.
According to him, drinking occasionally could add a few years to one’s life while different concentrations of alcohol in the human body have different effects on individual.
The speakers advised the public to drink responsibly by reducing much intake of the drink.
Others who spoke include Mr Ted Mukoro alias shine shine bobo (former creative Director Lintas ) Miss Stephanie Coker (OAP and TV presenter) among other panelists.
