Economic Empowerment
Source: All Africa
PAN Nigeria Limited, manufacturers of Peugeot brand cars yesterday graduated another set of female mechanics.
He said this at the 6th graduation ceremony of lady mechanics in the company's Training Centre.
Addressing the graduates, the MD, represented by his deputy, Mr. Jaime Pena said the essence of training lady mechanics in the company was borne out of the need to offer more opportunities to the womenfolk in what is widely believed to be a man dominated profession.
Recalling what has come to be known as Lady Mechanic Initiative (LMI), the managing director gave kodos to Mrs. Sandra Ageubor Ekperuoh, the first lady mechanic in Nigeria who is also the initiator of the LMI.
"As we graduate the sixth set of the lady mechanic programme, I am proud to say that PAN Nigeria has successfully provided the platform for the lady Ageubor's initiative of training young ladies in auto mechanic maintenance and repair technology," he said.
He said PAN's focus is to create new opportunities for women since they possess great ability to easily transfer knowledge to the younger generation.
He pointed out that PAN Nigeria Limited has been partnering with other stakeholders to uplift young Nigerians in fulfillment of its corporate social responsibility to the society.
In her speech, the initiator of the Lady Mechanic Project, Mrs. Sandra Ageubor Ekperuoh said the initiative which came into being in 2000, is targeted at the young ladies who are prone to negative vices of human trafficking and prostitution and the likes.
"I believe that women have more endurance than their male counterparts because they are more possessive. So I initiated this project to give woman a sense of belonging; to give woman that dignity and the desire to serve the society better," Ekperuoh said.
The LMI which came into being in 2000 is currently under the sponsorship of Nigerian Bottling Company, makers of Coca cola.