Women in the Energy Network (WIEN) are pressing for 35% affirmative action to be included in the appointment of energy sector boards of directors.
WIEN is an organisation set up in 2020 to provide a forum for women who work across the value chain of the energy industry to network and create trust and ties to advance their careers and companies.
WIEN President and Zigma Limited Managing Director Funmi Ogbue spoke at the 2020 Public Hearing on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), organized on Thursday by the Senate Joint Petroleum Downstream, Upstream and Gas Committee.
She noted that research indicates increased coordination on boards of directors of at least three women, greater adherence to standards of ethics, and stronger requirements for managing the plan and tracking its execution.
“WIEN would like to see the deliberate inclusion of policies that will ensure that at least 35% of each Governing Board is constituted by women,” Funmi said.
“WIEN suggest that the PIB mandates the inclusion of a minimum indigenous women from the Host Community on the Board of Trustees.”
She kicked against the use of Gender Neutral Pronouns/Terms such as the PIB’s use of masculine terms – him, his, he to refer to the position of “Minister, Commissioner Chief Executive, Executive Commissioner, Non-Executive Commissioner, Authority Chief Executive, Executive Director, Directors and Officers of the Authority , Transaction Advisor, Licensee of the Petroleum Exploration Licence, Receiver, Liquidator.”
According to her, such gender terms should be changed to gender neutral terms “they, their, its, a person.”
“This is to avoid legal issues and confusion as in some other positions gender neutral terms are used,” Funmi said.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
