Perm Sec Tasks Women On Unionsim

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, Mrs
Grace Akpungunum Okwulebie  says more women
need to be encouraged to take active interest in labour union activities.

Mrs. Okwulebie, who said this while declaring opened a one
day seminar organised by the women wing of Amalgamated Union of Public
Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees
(AUPCTRE), Port Harcourt, regretted that most women shy away from union
activities.

The Permanent Secretary, who was  represented by the state chairman of the
union, Mr. Friday Mbuerillum said that the women need to be  re-oriented to know their roles in their
various unions.

Speaking in his capacity as the state chairman of AUPCTRE,
Mr Mbuerillum described the seminar as very timely as it is meant to prepare
them for the challenges ahead.

The AUPCTRE chairman also said the seminar is a
demonstration that AUPCTRE women have come of age and stressed the need for
women in other industrial unions emulate AUPCTRE women.

In her welcome address, the chairperson, AUPCTURE  women
wing, Comrade Susan A. Daniel
said that the Union is now in the forefront  at all industrial unions that recognized the
right of women in the country.

She said that the seminar with the theme: “The Role of Women
in Labour Leadership: The Nigerian Experience was meant to  upgrade their knowledge in labour- related issue
with the view to preparing them abreast of the future leadership of the
Nigerian  Labour movement.

Comrade Daniel also used the occasion to call on the women
to give proper moral to their children.

In her lecture titled “Gender Equality for Women in Trade
Union”, Comrade Adiliod Peterside said that
trade unions should give specific consideration to the womenfolk during
recruitment exercises, while gender-friendly prgrammes be evolved by  trade unions in the country.

Also speaking, Comrade Beatrice Itubo stressed that women
must learn to be focused  as well as
imbibe  the spirit  of perseverance.

“I want to remind women
that it is not all the time you find encouragement from people, “you
will find people only when you succeed” she said.