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Total trains 200 women, urges unity 

By Ann Godwin, Port Harcourt
21 March 2019   |   3:36 am
Women have been charged to support each other in politics and other spheres of socio-economic life with the aim of removing barriers against them, and accelerating progress for gender equality. Also, the National Assembly has been urged to implement laws that advocate gender equality and women empowerment. The Deputy Managing Director of Port Harcourt District,…

Total

Women have been charged to support each other in politics and other spheres of socio-economic life with the aim of removing barriers against them, and accelerating progress for gender equality.

Also, the National Assembly has been urged to implement laws that advocate gender equality and women empowerment.

The Deputy Managing Director of Port Harcourt District, Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (TEPENG), Francios Le cocq, gave the charge recently when the company hosted a capacity training for about 200 women from its operational areas in the Niger Delta region.

Le cocq noted that women could become great in social-political arenas, game-changers, industry leaders, and great innovators when they encourage each other and believe in themselves.

Represented by the Deputy Manager, Community Affairs and Development, James Urho, he urged women to be determined, reflect on their progresses, recognize their achievements and plan for the future.

He said: “Total passion is to assist women through networking opportunities, develop programmes and enlightenment so that they not only aspire but also plan to achieve their aspirations. In doing so, we try to understand the perspectives and align with societal, economic and business opportunities that exist for women. We believe that once these aspirations are achieved, society would be better.”

The Deputy Manager added that Total Exploration and Production has been actively involved in the promotion of programmes aimed at recognising the achievements of women, building sustainable support for women’s right and participation in the socio-political arenas.

He said: “Our drive is to unleash the potentials that women have in all things that they can do or will do. Every one of us – women and men – should join hands with the world and the UN women to seize the moment, celebrate, take action and transform women’s lives everywhere”

Also speaking, a medical expert and capacity building consultant, Dr. Charles Apoki, said womanhood is universal, reiterating the need for women to support each other with the aim of achieving gender balance.

He added: “If a woman is contesting election, women should rally around her because women have unique nature to transform things. In Rwanda for example, 61 per cent of lower House is made up women and the cabinet of the Rwanda government is 50 per cent women and despite that Rwanda had a genocide, the economy is thriving more than that of Nigeria’s because women are carried along.”

He urged Nigerian government and the National Assembly to implement laws that advocate for gender equality and women empowerment.

Apoki further charged women to speak more for themselves, contribute towards each other in politics and desist from jealousy, which, according to him, was killing the goals and aspirations of ambitious women.

Akpoki stressed the need for women to fight against disunity within their rank and work in love and peace.

On her part, the Queen of Egiland, Grace Nwokoma, charged women not to look down on themselves and their potentials, but to strive hard to impact positively on their homes and society at large.

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