Nigeria’s agro-allied giant, Presco Plc, marked this year’s International Women’s Day with encouragement to the womenfolk to enhance their economic empowerment so as to contribute more to the nation’s development.
The company also said that as a policy, a significant portion of its workforce are women because women are one of the greatest contributors to any organisations’ prosperity.
The IWD 2024 which was held at the company’s head office at Obaretin Estate, Benin City, recorded an impressive turnout showing the importance of the annual programme to stakeholders in the nation’s agro-allied sub sector.
Addressing the gathering, Reji Goerge, Chief Executive Officer of Presco Plc, said it was the policy of Presco Plc to mark the annual event, as a way to recognise the contributions of women to the progress of the company.
He said: “We celebrate the IWD on a yearly basis, because we want to ensure that women’s participation in our organisation in the current year is more than the previous years. We want to celebrate the achievements of women on an annual basis so as to ensure that Presco creates a conducive environment for gender equality in the workplace because we see women as one of the greatest contributors to the prosperity of any organisation.”
He added that 35% percent of Presco Plc workforce are women even as the company aims to increase the proportion in the coming years.
Other dignitaries at the event included the guest speaker, Dr Betty Agbonkpolor, from the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria, Benin City; Frank Osemwegie Agbongiague, Presco’s Human Resources Manager; Onome Oyomare-Nosakhare (Member – Gender Committee), Tina Ekpo (Member – Gender Committee), CEO, and Fatima Emeri (Coordinator – Gender Committee), among others.
Presco is a fully-integrated agro-industrial establishment with oil palm plantations, palm oil mill, palm kernel crushing plant and vegetable oil refining and fractionation plant. It also has an olein and stearin packaging plant and a biogas plant to treat its palm oil mill effluent. It is the first of its kind in West Africa.
Presco specializes in the cultivation of oil palm and in the extraction, refining and fractionation of crude palm oil into finished products that enable it to supply specialty fats and oils of outstanding quality to customer specifications while ensuring a reliability of supply of its products year-round.
Dr Betty Agbonkpolor, the guest speaker from the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria, Benin City said empowering women means empowering the nation.
“Women should support other women to grow. Have confidence in yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for advice, embrace opportunities and read books so as to grow,” Dr Agbonkpolor advised.
Agbongiague, the human resources manager, said Presco’s policies on gender balance protect women from sexual harassment, support women’s reproductive rights, ensure equal representation and protect pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.
“Presco is committed to offering equal employment opportunities to the female folk. This policy and others alike ensure that there is no discrimination against women during employment. This reflects the 35% of women in our employment as at February 29, 2024. It is also evident that women occupy various positions in Presco Plc and also has female workers occupying senior and managerial positions as well,” Agbongiague said.
He listed various ways Presco ensures gender inclusivity to include forging women economic empowerment; recruiting, retaining and developing diverse talents; supporting women and girls into leadership, decision-making, business, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); designing and building infrastructure meeting the needs of women and girls; involving women and girls in agriculture and food security; providing women and girls access to quality education and training, as well as elevating women and girl’s participation and achievements in sports.
Others include promoting creative and artistic talent of women and girls, and addressing further areas supporting the advancement of women and girls.
He added that Presco offers scholarship opportunities to host communities, a policy that does not discriminate against the girl child, confirming that Presco is totally committed to promoting access to quality education and training of the girl child.
“We are excited and indeed proud to identify with our women in commemorating this year’s event and will remain committed to “Inspire Inclusion” in the workplace as we continue to advocate for gender balance and lend a voice against any form of discrimination, harassment or violence against the women folk,” Agbongiague added,
Fatima Emeri, Coordinator, Gender Committee, Presco Plc said this year’s celebration, which was the fourth in its series, was the best ever, noting that the annual commemoration has grown from strength to strength.
“This is the fourth edition of the International Women’s Day celebration. As you can see, there is happiness everywhere because the womenfolk feel appreciated by Presco Plc,” Emeri said.
The programme witnessed drama presentations by different groups in various dialects such as Urhobo, Tiv, Akwa Ibom, Edo, among others which were meant to sensitise the participants on the importance of training and empowering the girl child and women folk in general.
