She made this call at the 14th WiNE Forum and 25th anniversary launch of Women in Engineering at the Engineering Centre last Monday. The programme formed part of the 2024 Engineering Week and Conference by the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE).
 

Mentoring

Speaking on the theme: “Mentoring, the catalyst to engineering, a resilient and sustainable futurege”, Mrs Jackson said the importance of diversity and inclusivity in mentoring was key to ensuring that less-privileged girl children in rural and other areas got the benefits of learning and had mentors to guide their future career path.  

She said diversity and inclusivity in mentorship fostered innovation and positive change, expanded perspectives and solutions, empowered underrepresented groups, promoted equity and access and promoted collaboration and teamwork.

Women

The Founder and Executive Director of Mentoring Women Ghana (MWG), Brigitte Dzogbenuku, underscored the need to invest in women to improve the world.

According to Ms Dzogbenuku, mentors were also mentees, stressing that being a mentee would never end. 

The President of WiNE, Enyonam Kpekpena, paid tributes to past presidents of WiNE who had fought the blaze, especially Harriet Amissah Arthur-the First and Sole Executive of WiNE from 1999-2009, and Rita Ohene Sarfoh- the Second WiNE President from 2009-2019.

She also led the WiNE members to observe a minutes silence for Prof. Kwesi Andam, the 1999-2000 President of Ghana Institution of Engineering, who through his vision and support formed the Women in Engineering in 1999.

Opportunities

Mrs Kpekpena explained that Women in Engineering was formed to ensure the provision of equal opportunities for both genders in their pursuit of engineering careers.

The objectives of the association, she stressed, were to support and encourage female engineering professionals and students, promote science and engineering careers among girls and women, and influence and contribute positively to the GhIE and national decision-making bodies.

It is also to develop and maintain national and international links and affiliations and actively participate in events. 

Mrs Kpekpena added that WiNE’s membership had increased from less than one per cent of the GhIE membership in 2000 to 11 per cent in 2024.

Cutting the anniversary cake with WiNE members, the President of GhIE, Kwabena Bempong, said Women in Engineering remained a big force to reckon with in GhIE.

He congratulated them on achieving 25 years of their existence and wished them well in their year-long anniversary celebrations.

The first Female President of GhIE and the Immediate Past President of the Federation of African Engineering Organisations (FAEO), Carlien Bou-Chedid, chaired the programme.

Present at the ceremony were the Vice-President of GhIE, Abena Sophia Tijani; Executive Director of GhIE, David Nyante, and some Council members and Past Presidents of GhIE.

Also present were the President of Sierra Leone Institution of Engineering, Truddy Morgan, and Joan Nweke from the Nigerian Society of Engineers.