Accra Brewery Limited (ABL) has begun a training programme for retailers of its alcoholic products in the country.

The first batch of 20 retailers, comprising drinking bar operators, as well as restaurant and retail shop owners selected from different parts of Accra, received training in Accra.

The training was conducted by a team of health experts from Health & Work Environment Agency, an NGO.

ABL’s Alcohol Policy training dubbed: ‘Responsible Retailing,’ is expected to be rolled out on a national scale in the coming months.

It covers issues relating to what happens to the human body when alcohol is consumed, alcohol and pregnant women, underage drinking, drink driving, and selling to underage persons, among others.

Adjoba Kyiamah, Corporate and Legal Affairs Director of ABL, noted that the training further gives meaning to the principles underlining the company’s alcohol policy.

“Our beer adds to the enjoyment of life for the overwhelming majority of our consumers. We care about the harmful effects of irresponsible alcohol consumption and therefore we engage stakeholders and work collectively with them to address irresponsible consumption.”

“We firmly adhere to the fact that alcohol consumption is for adults and is a matter of individual judgment and accountability. Furthermore, we ensure that information provided to consumers about alcohol consumption should be accurate and balanced.”

Monica Owusu Afoakwa, a public health practitioner with the Tema General Hospital, appreciated the timeliness of the training programme for the retailers.

“This has come at a time when many stakeholders have been trying to find a way to address some of the teething problems with the sale and consumption of alcohol in Ghana. ABL has taken a giant step and I am sure this will have a positive impact.”

The participants, including waiters, managers and owners of alcohol retail facilities, said the information they received will make them start doing things right.

“I have never considered the harmful impact of alcohol on pregnant mothers but with this training I am going to instruct my waiters never to serve any expectant mother who enters my facility to purchase alcohol,” according to Daniel Boamah, Manager of Stone Age Pub at La.

Manager of Home Alone, a pub at Osu, Slyvia Tagoe said, “In my locality, the issue of underage drinking is a major concern to some of us. What I intended to do from today is to boldly put up a sign that will indicate that I don’t serve underage persons. This will succeed if all other alcoholic beverage retailers get to understand the harmful effects of underage drinking and the urgent need to stop binge drinking among the youth.”

The broad thematic areas of ABL’s Alcohol Policy touches on employees conduct in relation to alcohol behaviour and communication; and alcohol intelligence quotient. This is what ABL aims to share with its key stakeholders.