By Tracy Ohovwere
The Coordinator of the Office of the Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, has encouraged women to venture into the traditionally male-dominated fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), stressing the need for greater female representation.
Mrs. Anani gave the advice during her visit to the Lady Mechanic Initiative Vocational Hub in Benin City, ahead of the graduation ceremony of 50 women trained in compressed natural gas (CNG) conversion. She expressed enthusiasm about the initiative, describing it as a rare opportunity for women to break barriers in engineering, a core component of STEM.
She commended the Founder of the Lady Mechanic Initiative, Mrs. Sandra Aguebor, for her innovative approach to tackling unemployment in the state and applauded the professionalism displayed in preparing for the graduation. She assured that her office would continue to pursue progressive partnerships with stakeholders committed to the state’s development. According to her, the Edo State Government under the leadership of Senator Monday Okpebholo is focused on empowering women and youths, adding, “This is another form of empowerment, and for the support, we are most grateful.”
Mrs. Aguebor appreciated Mrs. Anani for the visit and lauded the Okpebholo administration for supporting women’s empowerment. She stated that her passion for mentorship and skills development drives her commitment to training young people willing to learn and grow.
She said it was an honour to receive the First Lady’s representative, especially ahead of the upcoming graduation, which she described as the first of its kind in Nigeria. She added that under Senator Okpebholo’s leadership, she remains committed to contributing to the economic growth of Edo State.
