WILAT to honour female transport professionals

Women in Logistics and Transport (WILAT), the women wing of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) have perfected arrangements to host its third Women in Logistics and Transport Day in Lagos on Thursday.

The group, which draws its membership from women operating in the maritime, aviation, railway and land transport sector, will hold its ‘WILAT Day 2015’on Thursday 25th June at Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

Aisha Ali-Ibrahim, global convener of WILAT, said that the Women in Logistics and Transport Day celebration was borne out of the need to encourage women in the logistics and transport industry to participate fully in all activities of the sector.

According to her, several female dignitaries including Olufunso Amosu, First Lady of Ogun State; Vicky Haastrup, chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) and U.T. Usman (rtd), President of CILT Nigeria are expected to grace the occasion.

Ali-Ibrahim, who doubles as the President of WILAT Nigeria and the Traffic Manager of Tin-Can Island Port Complex (TCIPC), noted that WILAT has taken the initiative to identify and give professional support to female professionals working in or have retired from all the modes of transport chain such as (road, rail, maritime & air), logistics and related industries.

“The association serves as the professional female voice in the industry and recommends gender policies in transport to government. This is in addition to its community services like the distribution of wheel chairs, baby carriers, and awareness programmes of safety precaution in the transport industry.”

She said that the Women in Logistics and Transport Day 2015 is organised in line with WILAT’s aim of sourcing, grooming and sustaining competent female members through career progression so as to enable them bridge the existing gaps and opportunities in the industry.

She said: “Though we are discussing issues relating to women in our profession, our male counterparts have also been invited as we do not intend to shut them out. The day as designed is a special purpose vehicle that provides an enabling platform for the recognition and appreciation of the achievements and contributions made by men and women professionals in the various sectors of the industry.”

The event, she stated, also aimed to provide a holistic approach to addressing the challenges faced by women in the various sections of the transport industry. It is also an avenue to build on the strength and image of the group through networking. The association was founded in 2010.