The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, says liberating the society will help reduce the level at which women face economic challenges and thereby allow them achieve their true potentials.
Amaechi said this at the 2019 World Maritime Day Celebration on Thursday in Lagos.
The celebration had as theme,” Empowering Women in the Maritime Community”.
According to him, life is about courage, and so women should stop begging and understand that having appointment in any field is based on merit.
“Women need to confront the reality and take power by themselves and challenge men in the industry.
“They need to discuss issues and tell the society the challenges they are facing, create wealth for themselves and try as much as possible to lift women out of poverty,” he said.
Amaechi said that women should be concerned with how to lift more Nigerians out of poverty.
The Minister of State for Transportation, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki, on her part, said that gender equality was a principle that had not manifested in the maritime industry.
According to her, there is need to have women at all levels and to explore every avenue to make more of them feature in the industry.
She said that to ensure such happens, there should be a decisive incentive strategy and affirmative action that would help to ensure women inclusiveness in the industry.
“We need to find ways to change the narratives and ensure that these women who have the initiative, who are fearless, graceful, intelligent and have the nerve to take no for an answer have a say in the industry.
“We need to ensure that their voices are heard, as in raising women, we will lift Nigeria,” she said.
Mr Dikko Bala, representing the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) said the group was committed to supporting countries to achieve the UN gender sustainable development goals as regard gender equality.
He recommended among other things that to support women, all female cadet in maritime academy should as a matter of policy be sponsored, and female champions should have five girls they mentor.
Mrs Lynda Ikpeazu, Chairperson, House Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, said that nobody gives power to anyone but one needed to take it.
She urged women in the industry to take power themselves, while also calling for support to ensure that they were removed from disadvantaged positions.(NAN)
