Female business executives form support group for women

Female business executives have formed a support group for women in the manufacturing sector.

The group, which is called Women in Manufacturing in Africa (WIM Africa), was unveiled in Lagos on Wednesday.

Adepeju Adebajo, Ogun state commissioner for agriculture, who pioneered the idea while she was managing director at Lafarge Africa Pl,c said WIM Africa will inspire women to grow, learn, share and inspire each other for the growth of the manufacturing sector.

Ope Wemi-Jones, deputy general manager at Access Bank and one of the founding members of WIM Africa, said though cultural biases and misconceptions have been driven by both men and women, the responsibility is on women to challenge the status quo.

Wemi-Jones said women can do this through consistent excellence in their chosen fields.

Herbert Wigwe, managing director of Access Bank, commended the WIM Africa initiative.

He said Access Bank had always supported gender equality over the years and would support the WIM Africa initiative.

Michel Puchercos, country CEO of Lafarge Africa Plc, said women if thoroughly empowered can potentially become the engine room of production for any society.

He said Africa should take advantage of its huge young female population to advance the cause of manufacturing on the continent.