Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — MEMBERS of the Women in International Shipping Trading Association, WISTA, have called on shipbuilders to consider gender-friendly ship designs so as to encourage more women to come into the seafaring profession.
The group also said that it is looking forward to having a woman heading the International Maritime Organization, IMO, in the very near future.
Speaking in Lagos recently, the President of WISTA Ghana, Mrs. Jemila Mahama, said that women can do a lot in the continental drive towards a blue economy.
She explained that WISTA international has observers’ status at the IMO, adding, “There are vessels that are fully manned by women without men on them.”
On increasing the number of women in the maritime sector, Mahama said that WISTA will keep advocating for more maritime education, mentoring and training for the women folks noting that is the only the women folks can make headway in the shipping sector.
On having a woman as Secretary-General of IMO, Mahama said, “very soon the Secretary-General of IMO will either be a Miss or Mrs”.
