Why Women Leadership Matters

'Why Women Leadership Matters'.- MAJAN President

ZAINAB JUNAID

While technical skills and knowledge are fundamental to everyday businesses and politics, women consistently adopts soft skills and emotional intelligence that brings desirable professional attributes to both politics and businesses alike.

As all Nigerian women joined their female gender counterparts to celebrate International Women's Day globally today, the President General, Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MAJAN), Comrade Ray Ugochukwu, has congratulated Nigerian women both home and in diaspora on the occasion, and stressed on how the positive impact of women in leadership role would be if given more opportunities by the Nigerian Government especially, to pertake more in governance and political affairs of the country.

Comrade Ray, who is highly gender sensitive, opined that the country should encouraged more women in leadership roles .

His words, "Women are good administrators in public offices and are also government within the families. Many Nigerian women have excelled in their various careers and should be commended for their steadfastness and resilience.

"Women are very special people in the society. They are our daughters, sisters and mothers. So, we use this special occasion to honour and rejoice with them," he said. 

Women generally, are always compassionate in putting people’s lives first – which also turns out to be best for the economy in the long run. Especially in area of transparency, flexibility and a willingness to admit mistakes; clear, consistent communication and encouraging values of cooperation and empathy.  They always put a premium on sustainability, both in politics and in businesses. 

The MAJAN President further described International Women's Day celebration as a well thought-out occasion meant to honour women for their tremendous contributions to national development and called on government to create a level playing ground for more women to thrive in entrepreneurship.

NAWOJ Story

International Women's Day: NAWOJ Tasks Women on Leadership Role in Society 

ZAINAB JUNAID

Ahead of the commemoration of the 2023 International Women's Day on March 8, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Lagos State Chapter, has urged women to unite and take their rightful place in leadership.

The association's Chairperson, Mrs Adeola Ekine, made this call stating that women needs to keep advocating for their rights and also pertake in leadership and decision-making role in various sectors of the society.

Ekine explained that anytime women acquired or attained leadership position, they always depict imaginative perspectives and always bring structural and cultural differences to the table to drive effective and unbiased solutions.

She therefore, urged women all over the world to support each other in taking their rightful place in leadership.

Her words, “International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide on the 8th of March. The UN theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is ”Digital Innovation and technology for gender equality. The aim of International Women’s Day 2023 is for everybody to truly embrace equity. “It is not just something to say or write about, it is what we need to think about, know, value, embrace, believe and imbibe that equity is creating an inclusive world.

She went further that as stakeholders, women should be ready to call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion.

”Collective activism is what drives change from grassroots action to wide-scale momentum. Forging gender equity isn’t limited to women, men should also be part of the campaign to show that the change has come to stay. This is important for the social, economic, cultural, and political advancement of women,” Ekine said.

When people embrace equity, they embrace diversity, inclusion, equity to forge harmony and unity to help drive success for all. For equality is the goal and equity is the means to get there. ”Through the process of equity, all can reach equality," she maintained.

Recommendations for effective SAATM implementation

Disparity SAATM Policy: AFRAA SG outlined recommendations for effective Implementation 

ZAINAB JUNAID 

The Secretary General of African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Mr Abderahmane Berthe, has outlined necessary recommendations needed to effect the disparity in the implementation of Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) policy.

Mr Berthe made these recommendations while speaking on the topic: “Harnessing of SAATM Opportunities for the Industry – Airline Implementation Programme”, at the ongoing 69th Airport Council International (ACI) Africa Conference which ran through February 25 to March 3, 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda. 

SAATM Policy which was meant to be a crucial stepping-stone to make air travel a reality for African citizens and to grow regional air transport that wil drive economic growth and transform lives in African Regions, has been a lipservice programme that does not favor many African member countries. 

In relation to this development, Mr Berthe elaborated the status updates on ongoing actions of the Air Transport Sustainability – SAATM Roadmap, the connectivity drivers as well as industry initiatives by various stakeholders on SAATM. 

With regards to status of direct flights and 5th freedom flights in Africa, Mr Berthe noted that 85% of intra-African flights are directs while 15% connecting with one stop or more. Among those direct flights, 5th freedom represent only 21%, while the share of 3rd and 4th freedom flights is 79%. 

To him, AFRAA data hub revealed that ASKY airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and Kenya Airways were the only African airlines operating the highest number of 5th freedom routes. African airlines operate only 14% of their direct flights on 5th freedom while 86% on 3rd and 4th freedom. Non-African carriers operate a most important share of their direct flights in 5th freedom in Africa. 

With regards to granting of 5th freedom traffic rights by African States, AFRAA reporting framework by its member airlines showed that among 8 (eight) reporting airlines, some have mentioned traffic rights denial by 11 African states. 

AFRAA Secretary General thus outlined the following recommendations as a mechanism that will enhance effective implementation of SAATM. 

• African States to be willing and ready to implement SAATM and to stop denial of 5th freedom traffic rights to African airlines. 

• Governments to stop over taxation of aviation. 

• Air transport stakeholders to collaborate to implement the roadmap of the air transport sustainability that was developed by the 2022 Laboratory. 

• Reduce costs along the air transport value chain. 

• Collaboration among airlines to improve connectivity and deliver a better service quality. 

• Right size fleet strategy to improve routes profitability and to connect secondary airports. 

• States, industry, airports to work together to implement the African Routes Development Strategy forum.