Acting first lady of Akwa Ibom State, Mrs Helen Eno-Obareki, has underscored the need for women’s participation in male-dominated fields, especially engineering.
She said the womenfolk should be given a fair share of contracts in roads and other infrastructural development.
Eno-Obareki, named by her father, Governor Umo Eno, as the acting first lady and coordinator of the office after her mother, Patience Eno, died last year, frowned at the isolation of women engineers in project awards under her father’s administration’s ARISE Agenda blueprint and demanded a change.
She made the appeal during a courtesy call by the Akwa Ibom Female Engineers of Nigeria (AKIFEN) to her office in the Government House, Uyo, the state capital, at the weekend.
While stressing the imperative of creating a platform for women to launch themselves into national limelight, Eno-Obareki reaffirmed her commitment “to promoting the inclusion of female engineers in project execution in Akwa Ibom State”.
“It is my pleasure to receive members of the Akwa Ibom Female Engineers of Nigeria (AKIFEN) in my office.
“My mandate is for women and children, and I assure you, these remain my top priority. Akwa Ibom women are already breaking ceilings in many areas, so why not in engineering too? There are powerful, capable women ready to lead.
“We must continue to create space, visibility, and opportunity for women across all sectors. Together, we will put Akwa Ibom women on the global map,” she assured.
