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‘How more women can attain top management positions’

By Sulaimon Salau
11 August 2016   |   3:38 am
More women are on the verge of making it to top offices in blue chip companies with determination to prove their competence and eradicate gender discriminations at workplace.
 Jadesimi

Jadesimi

More women are on the verge of making it to top offices in blue chip companies with determination to prove their competence and eradicate gender discriminations at workplace.

Available data showed that diversity including equality in female leadership of companies significantly increases profitability by four per cent of Fortunes 500 companies.

Revealing these facts at the women development programme of the Nigeria Annual International Conference & Exhibition in Lagos, The Managing Director, Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), Amy Jadesimi, said it is enormously important to widely publicise and celebrate women ‘breaking glass ceilings’, especially on the global stage because it effects and inspires so many lives.

Jadesimi therefore enjoined Nigerian women to brace up for the challenges and equip themselves to take more leadership positions.

According to her, the nation is current loosing about 50 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to under-utilisation of women.

She lamented that only 19 per cent of women are getting funds for start-up businesses, hence the need for women to be extra ordinary and come with innovations to be able to meet the requirements for funding.

Jadesimi, who shared her experience at the helm of affairs of Ladol said: “We (women) are still facing many challenges. This is discouraging but we need to realise that there are still more to be done. Women should prepare themselves to become a team player and make herself indispensable.”

She stressed: “As the managing director of Ladol, I have experienced a lot of issues…but I believe in teamwork and leverage on my team to get the right outcome and i have been able to do that successfuly.

“Therefore, a woman needs to be careful, bring extra knowledge and diversify thinking. There are many obstacles on your path but the best way to thrive is to be focus, dedicated and creative. With hardwork and perseverance, we will attain greater heights,” she said.

Jadesimi however urged the government to first highlight the importance of women by focusing more on Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs), female empowerment and the quality of goal number five of the SDG.

“In addition to that, I think government can encourage companies that have diversity, even going so far as to provide scholarships and sponsorship for women, female education is very important. At the same time, if you are encouraging those institutions, which enable women to be educated, you need to make sure that you do not found organisations that discriminate against women.

“I think government needs on one hand to highlight the importance of women to make it clear that they have to support women and make sure that women contributes positively to our economy. On the other hand, they need to find ways to encourage financial institutions and organisations that educate women, promote women and put them in leadership position,” she said.

Also, the General Manager, Portfolio Deepwater Nigeria, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO), Mrs. Sophie Pokima, said women should develop competency and always network to enhance mentorship, learning and growth.

“If you are competent and you have the skill nobody will pull you down and you will continue to excel. You also need to build confidence, bé accertive and aggressive.” She said.

Professor of Petroleum Economic and Policy Research, Wumi Iledare, said women have the largest population in the world and they should encourage themselves and develop one another to build competency and take up key positions.

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