The management of Ikeja Electric (IE), a power distribution company, has restated its commitment to promotion of shared values with the Women in Energy Network (WIEN), especially on supporting early technical and science based education in the country.
Managing Director, Mrs Folake Soetan, stated in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State, that the shared interest in early grooming of technical workforce in the country is a well thought out programme in the company’s group corporate strategy for building a pool of technical skills set for sustainable replenishment of workforce for the industry and wider economy.
Mrs Soetan who hosted visiting delegation of WIEN to the company declared that IE remains interested in WIEN’S Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education programme, adding that the company is also excited by the association’s Supernova Girl initiative which aims to support STEM inclined girls with scholarships and sponsorships.
She pledged the support of Ikeja Electric for WIEN’s workplace gender diversity and broadening of career and enterprise opportunity for women with requisite capacity. She added that the STEM education programme aligns with the sponsorship of technical colleges by parent Sahara Group.
Mrs Soetan clarified that technical capacity development is a corporate culture in the Sahara Group, adding that the practice is good for business, the society, the industry and the country. She added that sponsorship of technical schools by Sahara Group is to create skills and opportunity for all stakeholders.
On workplace gender diversity, she said that Ikeja Electric is an equal opportunity employer, adding that the company’s corporate membership of WIEN is a testimony of the appreciation level of the abundant female genius in the company.
IE, she said, has plans to deliberately challenge female managers with technical duties at some of the company’s power distribution substations. She said IE would tap into the knowledge pool and other opportunities in the network of WIEN, pointing out that the Supernova Girl initiative aligns IE’s sustainability program.
In providing business intelligence for the group, Mrs Soetan told the delegates that the robust metering gap in the nation’s electricity supply industry provides investment opportunity for players who might consider domestic meter production or assembly.
During earlier interactive session between the WIEN and management team of IE, issues of in the industry was analyzed, bringing to the surface that acute deficits inflicted in the industry by the shakeup in the global supply chain affected by the war in Ukraine.
Company executives explained to the WIEN delegates that the industry still has meter supply shortfall of over 4.0 million units at a market value of over $1.0 billion of about N600 billion.
They explained that such gaps exist because, they noted, there is limited production and assembly capacity in-country.
Adequate meter deployment in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), they noted, would enhance commerciality of operations, power supply improvement and growth of the industry.
Already, it was noted, general power supply has improved in the past few months due to partial activation contract based commercial reply among all parties and investment groups in the government’s gas-to-power programme which also came with significant tariff correction.
On their part, members of the WIEN delegation advanced the group’s value proposition to participating members to include robust knowledge sharing platform, common social responsibility vehicle, information sharing, access to power, common advocacy, gender diversity and supported growth.
In her remarks, Mrs Eyono Fatai-Williams noted that WIEN would continue to promote sustainability and training to boost female quotient in member companies, adding that the group smoothens career progress for individual members and business growth for corporate entities through provision of mentorship and networks with international development agencies.
Source:
WIEN Digest
