Stakeholders Advocate Improved Gender Inclusivity At Workplace

Stakeholders have advocated for increased strategic support and awareness for inclusive gender representation in workplaces to bridge the gap in women representation in management cadre.

They noted the need to continuously widen measures and efforts that foster inclusive work environment that recognise the rights of everyone irrespective of gender.

The stakeholders made the call at the 2023 Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) branch of the PENGASSAN Women Commission (PWC) conference with the theme: “Entrenching Equitable Opportunities For Women Towards Inclusiveness, Innovation And Excellence” held Thursday in Abuja.

The executive director, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Prof. Zainab Gobir, said a working woman  has responsibility in her work place and  home front as even society expects her to do more.

“I believe that giving women more opportunities will give us a better place, especially in the country. And my advice to women is; don’t give up, continue to strive for the better, support one another, learn, innovate, always lending a voice, and  for those of us in leadership continue to do well so that we can pave the way for others,” she said.

National chairperson, PENGASSAN PWC, Comrade Ada Mbanaso, said looking at the leadership space for women, the government had been trying, and the National Assembly had promised a minimum of 30% inclusiveness, but is yet to be attained.

“I do not think we have gotten to where we are going to, there are still a lot more to be done.

And I believe that if more women come on board, there would be a better Nigeria and business environment for everyone.

“Women are good managers and when responsibilities are handed over to them, they take it very seriously and make sirr they deliver on it.

“The NUPRC management has done well since the inception of the PWC in the NUPRC as they have been very supportive, but I will advise that they encourage women the more especially in the trainings, capacity building and leadership roles, so that women would be mentored from the grassroot and grow up as skillful women as they are attaining the management cadre,” she said.