Women have been called upon by the Association of Corporate Governance Professionals of Nigeria (ACGPN) to venture into governance even as they appeal to President Bola Tinubu and state governors to ensure increased women representation into public offices in their political appointments.

President of the association, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, made the appealed at a media briefing in Lagos on Monday to herald its forthcoming maiden Women In Governance (WIG) 2023 Conference.

Ohuabunwa said the forthcoming conference which is slated for July 13 at Providence Hotel in Ikeja is with the theme: “Inspiring Visionary Governance: The Role of Women”.

He noted that the appointment of women into various public offices by the President and the governors would close the gap of gender inequality and to fulfill their campaign promises.

He decried that several women in politics had emerged as candidates of their various political parties but their male counterparts outweighed them.

The groups statement reads:

“We want to use this forthcoming conference to urge the Federal and state governments to appoint more women ministers, commissioners, heads of agencies with a view to closing the gap.

“Especially as the President and other state governors are preparing to release the names of ministers, heads of agencies and parastatals for political appointments.

“The association is urging them to ensure that at least, 35 per cent women representation in public offices is achieved.,” he said.

Ohuabunwa said the association realised that the greatest resource to drive corporate and organisational success was the human capital, in which this capital resided in both male and female genders.

He, however, said that for a long time, most nations, including Nigeria had failed to optimise this resource, often preferring to fire only one engine (male) while sub -optimising the second equally powerful engine( female).

According to him, every pilot knows the danger of flying a twin engine turbo on only one engine. Thrust is low, stability is compromised and safety is imperilled.

Ohuabunwa said since Beijing, Nigeria and many other nations had become more deliberate in creating conducive opportunities for the women folk to climb to the top of their careers hitherto ‘reserved’ for only the men folk.

He noted that the association had, therefore, decided to convene this women In governance conference as part of the national effort to highlight what the women folk were bringing into governance.

The president said this forthcoming conference was also to x-ray those factors that were delaying or inhibiting their orderly trajectory.

He said highly accomplished women in political governance, public sector governance and corporate governance would present papers and lead discussions, followed by panel sessions.

Ohuabunwa said there would be plenty of opportunities for networking and building partnerships during the conference.

He said the invited Special Guests of Honour, Guests of Honour and Special Guests including the Wives of some state governors like Dr Ibijoke Sanwoolu, legislators, and Economic Diplomats like Dr Stella Okoli.

He said the main speakers would be : Mrs Olajumoke Simplice, Past President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation( CITN); Mrs Ebisan Onyema, Managing Director of Avery Nigeria Ltd; Mrs Omotayo Gbajabiamila, Director, Cabinet office, Lagos State Government.

“Others are Prof. Modupe Osho, former vice chancellor, Afe Babalola University: Mrs Felicia David, Managing Director, Alliance and General Insurance Plc; Mrs Afolake Lawal, Managing Partner, Imperial Law Office, Lagos among others.
Ohuabunwa said the association was set to create a national adoption of good governance principles and the creating of the enabling environment to promote women involvement in governance at all levels of the national endeavour.