NAMA boss extols qualities of women engineers

 MANAGING Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency NAMA, Capt Fola Akinkuotu has commended the ingenuity of women engineers in the country in ensuring stability in the system.

Speaking at the investiture of Engr Mrs Felicia Nnenna Agubata as the 15th president of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Capt Akinkuotu described her as a woman of courage, patient and heard work that has transformed the system in the engineering department of NAMA within her few years in the agency.

According to Akinkuotu, Agubata has remained persistent in her profession stressing that the sky will be her limit.

The NAMA boss who was full of praises to have seen a woman excelling in the field dominated by male, assured the women engineers of the support of the management of NAMA stressing that in the days of his flying as a pilot that so many women trainee pilots were under him.

He noted that when given the opportunity and enabling environment like Agubata, that the women folk will continue to excel in their endeavors.

Akinkuotu commended the leadership and members of APWEN for the investiture of Agubata as their 15th president noting that it was an honour.

In her inaugural speech, Engr Agubata pledged to uphold the dignity of women engineers and to serve the entire engineering profession and humanity at large.

Agubata who acknowledged the challenges ahead especially the expectations from the engineering community and stakeholders, assured that there will be capacity and strength to mobilse necessary human and material resources to create value for the greatest good of the the society in line with the mission of APWEN.

While acknowledging the tough environment where women are regarded as the weaker sex, she vowed to remain focused as the profession does not recognize weaker sex.

“Just think about your mother and her toils in your growing up years and the picture the 21st century woman who still plays the traditional role of a woman with joy and yet acquired the necessary professional skills”

Agubata declared that there was no research work that has shown conclusively that one gender was stronger or weaker than the other adding that both sexes when given the exposures, training and orientation that the outcome will be very interesting. “to guarantee continuous progress, both sexes must complement and support each other. This will ensure that our potentials as one humanity is maximized across all spheres”

She explained that all hands must be on deck to meet the evolving needs of the society and to improve human experience and expand opportunities for the emergent woman

Agubata said APWEN will continue to encourage sound engineering practice and create avenue for women engineers to collaborate with professionals across all disciplines in the country and globally, adding that APWEN was  launched in 1983 with current membership strength at 3000 registered female engineers.

She noted that the association has consistently contributed to the encouragement of the girl child in taking up the sciences and mathematics to increase the prospects of studying engineering.

Agubata congratulated the immediate past president Engr Hauwa Sadique for a successful tenure and vowed to follow-up the good examples of her predecessor by bringing on board more value, energy creativity and innovation in APWEN activities.

The investiture ceremony was witnessed by dignitaries across the country.