The Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar yesterday expressed his ministry support to Women in Logistics and Transport in their quest to encourage professionalism and career progression. WILAT, a Non Governmental Organisation was established to tackle matters bugging women and help them progress on their jobs.

It is the first and largest female group to exist within the chartered Instituted of Logistics and Transport. The Minister who spoke through Alhaji Suleiman Nagogo at the occasion of WILAT Nigeria Day, said women have demonstrated a resolve to play a key role in the nation development of the critical sectors of the economy. He said, “As the patron of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport as well as WILAT Nigeria, let me assure you of my unwavering support and cooperation. What you require most is the enabling political and social environment to realise your potentials. “I’m happy to state here that WILAT Nigeria offers community services especially to women and children concerning transportation. “Having realised the importance of women in nation building generally and in the transport industry in particular there is the need to encourage and empower the female so as to enable them make optimal utilisation of their potentials for sustainable socio-economic development”. Also speaking, Minister of Women Affairs Hajia Zainab Maina, said WILAT is an organisation of highflying women who are pioneering a new frontier for Nigerian Women to follow. Hajia Maina who was represented by Mrs. Iran Ajufo added that, “Since its inaugural flag off in June 2010, its members have been involved in a lot of enlightenment campaigns as well as advocacy programmes that have helped in the mentoring of young female students in Logistics and Transport in higher institutions so as get them young. “WILAT has also helped in policy formulation, offering community services for women and children in the transport area, educating the general public on safety precautions in transport as well as getting involved in voluntary traffic control when the need arises.”    The founder of WILAT, Mrs. Aisha Ali-Ibrahim, expressed concern about women who work in insecure environment. The Managing Director, Ports and Terminal Operations Limited in Rivers State, Mrs. Lizzie Ovbude, lamented that though the Nigerian Ports Authority had been in existence since 1955, not many women have ascended the top rungs of the organisation’s leadership ladder.