By David Onwuchekwa
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Stine Industries Ltd, Chief Akai Egwuonwu has joined millions of others across the world to congratulate the girl child on the occasion of the 2024 International Day of the Girl Child celebrated globally today.
The event is marked on October 11 every year to remind people of the need for gender mainstreaming.
“Girls’ Vision for the Future,” is the theme of this year’s celebration which demands a proper attention to the girl child and her future.
Speaking to journalists in Awka, Chief Egwuonwu said that the contributions of women to the growth of the economy are very crucial.
He noted that the role of women in any society could not be overemphasized.
“All over the world, every society appreciates and values the role of women who make meaningful contributions for society to thrive.
“But any society that doesn’t recognize the role of women in social, political, economic and even religious development of that society is in trouble.
“I have been privileged to travel to many countries of the world to know this is a fact. In Igbo land, for instance, there are many women of substance who have made their marks in various fields of human endeavors to confirm that the girl child, if trained is a critical agent of human development, “Chief Egwuonwu added.
He cited some of the women of substance in Igboland including Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iwuala of international repute, the former Governor of Anambra State and first female Governor in Nigeria, Dame Virgy Etiaba, among others as role models to the girl child.
He noted that what is critical, like their male counterpart, is to give proper training to the girl child to actualize their potential.
Chief Egwuonwu who has the biggest rice mill across Nigeria, producers of the Anambra Rice said that women constituted the bulk of the workforce in the industrial sector to further confirm their importance in society.
“But again, you would notice that Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has shown commitment to gender mainstreaming with the number of women appointees in his administration. That’s highly commendable.
“So, both in private and public sectors women have continued to make their marks for the overall development of society, ” Chief Egwuonwu concluded.
