The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (“the
Commission”) last week temporarily shut down our operations in Abuja and our
Corporate Head office in Iganmu, Lagos from the demand for payment of certain
disputed fees which the Commission is claiming from our company for our various
consumer sales promotions. No Court Order was shown to us by the officials of
the Commission with regard to the shutting down of our company premises.
Prior to the above actions, the Nigeria Employers’
Consultative Association (NECA) on behalf of its member companies (including
Nigerian Breweries Plc) had instituted an action at the Federal High Court
(FHC) in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/306/12 against the Commission challenging the
powers of the Commission to regulate consumer sales promotions in the country
moreso as they form part of the marketing and sales activities of the concerned
companies.
The matter is subsisting at the Court of Appeal in Suit No:
CA/A/267/2016, the appeal having been brought at the instance of the
Commission. A cross-appeal was subsequently instituted by NECA against the
decision of the FHC.
As a law abiding corporate citizen, Nigerian Breweries Plc
has always ensured that all our consumer sales promotions are vetted and
approved by the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and the
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Since being established over 70 years ago, Nigerian
Breweries Plc has remained one of the highest contributors to government
revenue through taxes and levies paid to various levels of government. In 2017,
we contributed by way of taxes and other levies, about N75 billion to the treasury
at both the Federal and State levels.
Our Company has always ensured that it complies with all
legitimate demands of government agencies which are in accordance with the rule
of law and has never sought to or seek to deprive government of its legitimate
revenue.
Nigerian Breweries Plc is committed to winning with Nigeria
and will continue to engage with all the appropriate stakeholders while seeking
to protect and uphold its reputation as a good corporate citizen in the
country.
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