From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Lafarge Africa Plc has trained and empowered 130 women to join the trucking industry in Nigeria from 2019 till date.
This was disclosed in a release in Calabar after the graduation of 30 female truck drivers through the Women on Wheels (WOW) initiative.
Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, praised the WOW initiative as a game-changer in Nigeria’s male-dominated transportation industry.
“Our initiative to train female truck drivers is a game-changer in Nigeria’s male-dominated transportation industry. We are adding 30 more women to our growing list. In 2021, 56 women graduated from our Mfamosing operations, and recently, 17 did from our Ewekoro operations. This addresses driver shortages, enhances transportation, sets industry benchmarks, promotes sustainability, and increases gender diversity in logistics.”
Logistics Director Osazemen Aghatise noted that the excellent performance of previous WOW graduates has encouraged the company to expand the program.
“The success of our female truck drivers has encouraged us to enhance safety, efficiency, and gender equality in our logistics,” he said.
The best graduating student, Nzom Gertrude, expressed gratitude to Lafarge Africa for providing the opportunity. “Many people assumed that we couldn’t achieve this feat. However, with the encouragement of the instructors and our families, we have done it”, she said.
Commissioner for Women Affairs, Cross River State, Hon Edema Irom, charged the graduates to continue to excel and be ambassadors for the Cross River State and Nigeria.
Representative of Integrated Automotive Services Limited (IASL), Kemi Shobayo, advised the graduates to drive with confidence, lead with integrity, and be role models for young girls who dare to dream big.
The WOW initiative is designed to empower women by providing them with the skills and knowledge to become professional truck drivers.
The program focuses on road safety guidelines, technical skills, and defensive driving techniques necessary for success in the logistics industry.
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