By Kenneth Thompson
Country manager of the Sierra Leone Bottling Company, Israel Okujagu, has told a Fanta Cocktail launch in Freetown that his company will soon pay Le15 billion to government in various forms of taxes.
Mr. Okujagu said the new Fanta Cocktail drink, would provide new opportunity for the industry, while at the same time contributing to providing more jobs for the youths, which would in turn improve the economy.
He said the product was subjected to the most rigorous of processes and conducted through complete control measures that meet international standards.
“We are subjected not only to four annual major audits by internationally recognised bodies, but more importantly, our production process is monitored every month”, he said.
He added that they had been a good corporate citizen who directly are employing over three hundred Sierra Leoneans, would be commissioning the only waste water treatment plant in the country and were supporting various community improvement projects across the country.
While officially launching the drink, the minister of trade and industry, Usman Boie Kamara, said his presence at such a gathering underscored the importance his government attached to the manufacturing industry in the country.
He encouraged the company to further increase its fruit based drinks as that would help add value to the country’s fruit industry. He added that his ministry would continue to engage companies to ensure that their products adhere to international best practices.
He thanked the company for “owning up to its corporate social responsibility”, pointing out that those were the kinds of companies government was encouraging to come and invest in the country.
© Politico 12/11/13
