First Lady Aisha Canvasses Support For Women Seafarers

BY CHINYERE OBIORA, LAGOS –Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has canvassed support for Nigerian women as active stakeholders in the seafaring profession.

According to her, the country’s maritime agencies must urgently review subsisting policies and flawed regulations to accommodate more women in the sector.

Mrs Buhari said as good and exceptional material managers, women should be encouraged through policy initiatives and laws that seek to address the current gender disparity in the nation’s maritime industry.

Speaking at the 2019 Seafarers Day organised by the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in Lagos on Tuesday, the First Lady however noted that; “There has been significant effort by the NIMASA leadership at making the women play active role in the maritime sector especially in the seafaring aspect.”

Mrs Buhari was represented by the wife of Nigeria’s Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo at the event with the theme: “On Board with Gender Equality”. It was organized to honour seafarers for their contributions to the nation’s economy.

She also stated that: “Mr President is desirous of seeing more women in the industry this year celebration focusing on women seafarers is therefore apt.

“It will be development on a wider range seeing agencies play pivotal role in leading the pack in the new direction of gender equality in maritime career of the girl child.”

“Let me stress that it is important to educate the girl child in opportunities in taking up career in the sector and the derivable benefits there, while dissuading them from the notion that it is men’s job”, the First Lady said.

In his speech at the occasion, Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside, said the agency was gender sensitive, adding that more Nigerian women have in recent times benefited from NIMASA’s cadet training.

He said; “To this end the agency will continue to pursue policies that will accelerate gender equality and empowerment of women in the maritime.

“In addition to the 304 female cadets we have trained since the inception of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), special attention will now be given to the training of female seafarers in specialised courses to enable them take-up professional responsibilities.”