As part of activities to celebrate the 50 years anniversary of the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE), Women in Engineering (WINE) has held a forum to mentor women in Engineering at the Engineers Centre, Roman Ridge, Accra on Friday, 16th March 2018.

In her welcome address, the President of WINE, Ing. Mrs Rita Ohene Sarfoh said, “this year, WINE has decided to focus on one of the major challenges of getting girl child to study Science, Mathematics and Engineering mentoring; hence, the theme for the conference: “Women mentoring women”. 

In a message read on behalf of the Guest Speaker, Hon. Otiko Afisah Djaba, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection by Dr Rita Owusu-Amankwah, Director of Social Protection of the Ministry, said the Minister and for that matter, the ministry has the strong conviction that mentorship is an important tool for transformational learning and empowerment and focusing its application to engineering for women is the game changer for any country.

“I have no doubt that the decision to mentor young girls to take Engineering as a profession would greatly enhance the development of our economy. Studies have shown that barriers confronted by females in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields can be mitigated through positive mentoring relationship”, the message added.

The Chairperson for the conference, Engr. Valerie Agberagba, chair of Nigeria Women in Engineering and Vice President of WFEO, who was represented by Engr. Chinyere Nnenna Igwegbe, Executive committee member of Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), conveyed a solidarity message from the Nigeria Women in Engineering to their Ghanaian counterparts and opined that women engineers who are in a male-dominated environment, the mentoring program is very important and ensures that there are ways to leak-proof the pipeline from further leakage. Through it, we are able to build networks and strengthen others.

Anniversary cake to mark 19 years old of Women in engineering chapter of GhIE was cut by members. In attendance of the conference was the President of GhIE, Ing. Mrs Carlien Bou-Chedid and panel of mentors who gave good presentations and mentorship to WINE members.