The International Women’s Day 2020 provided a great platform to raise awareness of the importance of gender equality in the maritime profession, this is according to the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association Nigeria.
The President of WISTA Nigeria, Mrs Eunice Ezeoke, disclosed this in a goodwill message delivered during the 2020 International Women’s Day.
Ezeoke said in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the association, Mrs Sarah Roberts, that WISTA Nigeria was joining the rest of women professionals worldwide to give recognition to women and emphasise gender equality.
She said, “Gender equality is essential for economies and communities to thrive and the year 2020 is a pivotal year for advancing gender equality worldwide.
“The race is on for a gender-equal boardroom, a gender-equal government, gender-equal workplaces and more gender equality in health and wealth.
“We are happy that Hadiza Bala- Usman, emerged as the first female Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority. We have also had a female Director-General of NIMASA in the past when Mfon Usoro headed the agency.”
Ezeoke listed great women, including judges, as members of the association.
She said the association also boasted of vessel owners, maritime experts, business moguls, top maritime administrators, among others, in its membership.
She added that WISTA Nigeria had her pet projects such as supporting the women in the riverine areas of Aguleri (Anambra), Oron (Akwa Ibom), Lokoja (Kogi) and Epe (Lagos State) with boats and other fishing equipment.
She acknowledged fishing as the source of livelihood of most women, adding that the association was also reaching out to fisherwomen in the Niger Delta region to assist them with fishing boats and other materials.
