The outgoing President of the Women International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, Mrs Mary Hamman, has urged incoming executives of the association to work as a team and create more awareness.
Hamman made the appeal in an interview in Lagos last week, ahead of the election and inauguration of new executive members on February 20.
“They should not wait for anyone before taking responsibilities because it will end up that nobody is doing anything.
“Everybody’s responsibility is no one’s responsibility. That it why all the executives should be committed and dedicated to the position they campaigned for.
“The incoming executives should be at alert at all times and try to keep members abreast with what is happening in the maritime industry at all times.
“I served for four years and during my tenure, we were able to donate fishing boats, engines and other accessories to fisher women in Aguleri, Anambra and Ogbuagu fishing community in Enugu.
“Beneficiaries from the two states were very happy to know that there were women who cared about them,” she said.
Hamman said that the governors of the two states had keyed into WISTA ‘s project and ensured that other fisher women in various communities in the states also benefitted from the association’s support.
She said that her team was able to create credibility and improved on networking, which had exposed women in maritime to numerous opportunities both in and outside the country.
The outgoing president said that with new Memorandum of Understanding signed with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the association had been included as part of the technical committee for IMO programmes for gender participation.
Hamman said funding was a major challenge during her tenure, but the association still managed to sail through.
She said members’ annual dues and contributions had also supported her tenure in succeeding in many activities, including mentoring students from universities and secondary schools as well as female children to choose careers in maritime industry.
According to her, another challenge she faced was getting women interested in what they were doing.
She appreciated members of the association for giving her and the executives both moral and financial support that yielded success during her tenure.
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