Executive members of Maritime Africa (WIMAfrica) Nigeria Chapter
By Sheku Tanga
Press Attaché
Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Women In Maritime Africa (WIMAfrica) Lagos, Nigeria Chapter, are in advance discussions with the Sierra Leone High Commission on setting up a cooperation of entrepreneurship for the development of women in the Maritime sector in Sierra Leone.
This was disclosed at a meeting held on Friday December 4th at the consulate office, Sierra Leone High Commission in Lagos, Nigeria, as part their 16 days of activism in respect of the Celebration of the International Women’s Day.
Speaking, the head of delegation who is President of WIMAfrica Nigeria Chapter, Madam Hajia Bola Muse, said that WIMAfrica is a continental organization of African Women in the Maritime industry that is poised to promote female gender participation in the shipping sector.
She expressed strong feelings and desire to establish WIMAfrica Sierra Leone Chapter in order to ensure advancement of gender equality in the Maritime sector and support mainstream women participation in all aspects of the “Blue Resources”.
Welcoming the delegation, the Acting Head of the Consulate office at the Sierra Leone High Commission in Lagos, Madam Beatrice Koko Kallay, extolled and underscored the importance of the visit, describing the initiative as a landmark moment and a turning point for changing the narratives of gender gap in the Maritime industry in Sierra Leone.
WIMAfrica is a non-profitable organization designed to answer the call of gender equality and women empowerment in the Maritime sector in order to stimulate the gender party in the sector. It also focuses on poverty alleviation and to create capacity building and enhancement of women inclusiveness.
With the efforts of the Sierra Leone High Commission in Nigeria, Sierra Leone is now selected as one of their target countries to setup WIMAfrica, which will serve as a panacea to gender equality in the Maritime Industry.
The team is planning another visit to the Sierra Leone High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria in order to meet with the High Commissioner and other diplomatic staff, and part of the agenda will be to discuss their planned visit to Sierra Leone.
Other members of the visiting delegation were the Vice President, Mrs. Rollens Macfoy, the Secretary General, Mrs. Dorcas James, the Assistant Secretary, Mrs. Foluke Ademoladun, the Treasurer, Mrs. Affi Mbanga, the PRO, Mrs. Carolyn Ufere, Assistant PRO, Mrs. Tina Ikeepha, , Assistant Treasurer, Mrs. Taiwo Oshini and the National Coordinator, Mrs. Gloria Kanabe