By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
A group of female engineers operating in Nigeria under the aegis of Association of Professional Women Engineers in Nigeria, APWEN, Calabar chapter, has vowed to bridge the gender gap between male and female engineers in Nigeria.
The chairman of the Calabar chapter of APWEN, Engr. Justina John Ulafor, made the vow while speaking with journalists yesterday at the end of a one-day public lecture, organised by the women engineers in Calabar.
Speaking on the theme: ‘She Engineer and Digitalization,’ at the programme which also featured scholarship awards and recognitions, the association chairman emphasized more on the association of females in the engineering profession; stating that the organisation has plans to encourage the girl child to take up engineering as a profession.
She added that the association has concluded plans to embark on serious sensitization to bridge the gap.
She averred, “Our core value is to encourage our girls to become like us and some of the ways is the activities we undertake.
“We have done our stem exams to see how we can encourage the girl child students in the secondary schools to do the exams.
“We want to bridge the gap through what we are doing – encouraging the girl child to do science by taking up a career in engineering.
“For others who are already engineers, we encourage them to stay put through a mentorship programme, capacity building in entrepreneurship, because an engineer is supposed to be an entrepreneur.”
In her remarks, incoming chairman of APWEN, Engr. Mrs. Faith Edu, stated that the mission of the association, is to “encourage the girl child towards pursuing a career in engineering and breaking stereotypes.”
Edu stated that engineering is a career in which women can excel, stressing that a lot of women have broken limits in the profession.
She further added that that is the reason why the association is determined to catch them young.
Also speaking, Engr. Minika Effiom stated that it’s not true that engineering is a profession for the men only, even as she encouraged young girls to embrace the profession and show what they are able to do in the midst of men.
The event was rounded off with presentation of a public lecture by Engr. Dr. Mary Ann O. Ezugwu, FNSE, as well as presentation of scholarships to the top three students who excelled in the STEM examinations.
The one-day event also featured the presentation of meritorious award to APWEN President, Engr. Dr. Elizabeth Jumoke Eterigho, for innovative ideas and exhibiting excellent leadership qualities.
