Hope seems to be on the horizon for some residents of Ogun State as Pernod Ricard Nigeria, a subsidiary of the Pernod Ricard Group in partnership with Teach for Nigeria has commissioned a water sanitation and health project in Imosan Town in Odogbolu local government area of the state.
The activity is in line with the theme of the 2023 Responsibl’All Day event tagged “The Well-being of our people and communities”.
Responsib’All Day is a day during which the over 19,000 employees of Pernod Ricard around the world dedicate their time to actively contribute to the Group’s Sustainability and Responsibility Roadmap, ‘Good Times from a Good Place’.
This year, Pernod Ricard’s teams focused on how to take better care of themselves and their local communities. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 2.2 billion people lack access to improved water sources.
In Nigeria, only 26.5 per cent of Nigerians have access to adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, leading to a state of emergency that affects the life of 130 million Nigerians, predominantly children.
As part of its intervention, Pernod Ricard Nigeria embarked on the project to increase the water supply and improve the health and well-being of people in the Imosan community.
The project includes drilling a water borehole and providing storage facilities and power through sustainable energy with solar panels in the selected community.
Dwelling on the project, the managing director Pernod Ricard Nigeria and Western Africa, Mr. Sola Oke said, “The successful completion of this project is expected to serve over 1,000 people in the community: improving water accessibility, enhancing hygiene practices, and decreasing water-related illnesses.
He added that , “We believe that access to clean water is fundamental for the well-being of every individual.”
The Teach for Nigeria project coordinator, Faith Emoukhare, also thanked Pernod Ricard: “ We are thankful for Pernod Ricard Nigeria’s commitment to completing the project, ensuring long-term sustainability, and helping improve the well-being of the community.”