Prof. Sunday Okeniyi, President, Chemical Society of Nigeria (CSN), on Wednesday called for empowerment and recognition of women chemists in the country.
Okeniyi made the appeal at a workshop organised for women chemists by the society and Women in Chemistry, in collaboration with the Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO) in Lagos.
Theme of the training was: “Crystalising the Synergy in Chemical Sciences Between Academia and Industry”.
Okeniyi said that the workshop would revolve around the empowerment of female chemists.
“Female chemists should be given more recognition, especially in the process of making decisions on issues that required their expertise,’’ he said.
Okeniyi said that ultimately, women always gathered to cultivate a community; hence the more reason they should be empowered.
“Women are empowered when they are able to access opportunities available to them without limitations and restrictions.
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“It is also about raising their status through education, raising awareness and allowing them to make life-determining decisions through different problems in the society,” Okeniyi said.
He said that chemists were found in almost every sector of the economy playing very vital roles; hence more awareness was needed for the sector.
“The importance of Chemistry should also be taught in schools so that more female students will be interested in the profession,” Okeniyi said.
Also, Mrs. Theresa Ojomo, the Coordinator Women in Chemistry, Lagos Chapter, urged the government to create an enabling environment for women.
Ojomo said that chemists would boost the nation’s economy if they have more access to laboratories to carry out researches.
She urged the government to build more institutions for the chemists to carry out chemical analysis.
Ojomo said that the chemists expertise was very essential to the development of the nation. (NAN)
