Promote competence, not gender to excel, Amaechi urges women

Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation has told maritime stakeholders in Lagos that nothing stops women from excelling in whatever areas of human endeavour they find themselves.

Speaking at this year’s celebration of World Maritime Day, Amaechi said women are intelligent, vibrant and can do as good as men are doing in whatever areas they get involved in. But he has an advice for them.

He advised women to use competence as an advantage and not seeking to be considered or conferred advantages merely on the basis of their gender.

“You people should stop begging. It is your entitlement. God has blessed you. You are manipulators. You have what it takes to prove yourselves and be considered for whatever you are due for.

“We were in a class of 40 and there were about 20 women who never bothered to come check their results if they had resit. They are very intelligent,” Amaechi said.

The minister added that our society is in need of mindset liberation that will help government lift 10 million Nigerians out of poverty.

Amaechi said Amina Mohammed , Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations has excelled to global technocrat stage not because of her gender but her knowledge and ability to deliver on any assignment given to her.

The minister said President Muhammadu Buhari discovered her during a visit to London and appointed her a Minister of Environment. He added that her appointment at the UN was not a product of gender consideration or lobby.

“She never applied for these jobs, she was discovered and invited . You are intelligent and resourceful as a woman. In fact , you are the most intelligent animal created by God,” the minister said.

World Maritime Day is celebrated by all member countries of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and theme for this year’s celebration is “Empowering Women in the Maritime Community”