Hadiza Bala Usman, the Managing Director at Nigerian Ports Authority commented that ‘women are most disadvantage in the world’ and the world must understand that women matter when it comes to nation building.
She proposed the establishment of a network or association in every industry, that will provide women a platform to exchange opinions, share experiences, encourage each other and battle their challenges with one voice.
The Managing Director highlighted this matter, when speaking at the just concluded 3rd World Maritime University Conference, with the theme ‘Empowering Women in the Maritime Community’.
She stressed the importance of gender equality as a crucial tool for the nation’s building.
Furthermore, Hadiza emphasized the need to encourage young girls to take interest in Science and Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) so they can pursue careers in shipping, marine, operations and engineering sub-sector and advised that nations with maritime endowments should fund specialised institutions and provide incentives for girls to take courses in these areas.
Women who have broken through the barriers in this sector must institute a mentoring system that encourages young ladies to take careers and create a pipeline for succession in the maritime sector.
… Hadiza commented.
She continued that government agencies and private sectors have the responsibility to increase the women in the sector noting that ‘last year for instance, TCIT, one of our Terminal Operators recruited the first set of female crane operators in Nigeria. We have assured all stakeholders of our readiness to partner with them on this front.’
When concluding her speech she focused on women working in the industry will also include maternity leave and entitlements, as well as the establishments of a crèche facility at the Lagos Ports Complex (LPC). There must be a network or association in every industry which should provide a platform for women to share experiences, encourage each other and battle their challenges with one voice.