The Principal Partner of Justicia Legal Practitioners, Hassan Bello, has announced free legal counsel and support for Nigerian women in the maritime sector who are victims of gender-based discrimination in the workplace.

Bello, a former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), made this commitment at the 2024 MMS Hall of Fame Induction and Life-Impact Awards in Abuja.

He emphasised his law firm’s willingness to support Nigerian women in their efforts to achieve workplace equity and combat gender-based discrimination in the maritime industry.

“We are ready to partner with Nigerian women, offering legal support and counsel to address discrimination or gender-based conflicts, especially in the maritime industry. Women’s rights matter,” Bello stated.

He highlighted the challenges faced by Nigerian women, including limited access to education, finance and employment opportunities, as well as harassment, all of which hinder women’s progress.

On her part, the Managing Partner of Temerity International Experts Limited, Mrs Temilade Ogunniyi, noted that the digital space offers untapped potential to drive innovation and solutions for Nigeria’s maritime sector.

She encouraged women to seize these opportunities, emphasising the need for innovation and automation in port businesses, urging women to develop themselves intellectually to be prepared for future opportunities.

The Vice President of Clarion Bonded Terminal and one of the 2024 inductees, Mrs. Bernadine Eloka, expressed gratitude for the recognition and recommended involving government and regulatory agencies in future events.

She described the event as inspiring and impactful, urging younger women to draw inspiration from the leadership displayed by those honoured.

The Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Deep Services Limited and another inductee, Mrs Rollens Macfoy, stressed the importance of women understanding their career paths and businesses before focusing on capacity building.

The Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Binta Adamu Bello, represented by the Acting Director, Violence Against Persons, Tolu Odugbesan, emphasised that achieving gender equality in the maritime sector requires women to make significant contributions and sacrifices to promote peace and solidarity.

She called for unity among women, urging them to support each other and act against rights violations, empower vulnerable women and celebrate women making an impact in society.