Lagos Commissioner, Ponnle Charges Women On Professionalism

The Lagos State Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Mrs. Ajibola Ponnle, has charged women in management positions, particularly those in the Public Service, to rise above the challenges created by cultural orientation and unleash their potential in order to contribute meaningfully to the achievement of plans and programmes of the government. 

Speaking during the closing ceremony of a three-day “Online Women Empowerment Course”, organised by PSSDC for women in the State Public Service, Ponnle said the management role of women in the 21st-Century cannot be downplayed, adding that career enhancement and development for women remain paramount even in the face of the challenges created by workplace gender disparity in a male-dominated world.

The Commissioner noted that the present administration is making an effort to strike a balance by ensuring that more women occupy relevant positions in the State.
“Lagos State is changing, for instance, if you look at the cabinet of Mr. Governor, there are 14 women in the cabinet, the highest ever since the creation of Lagos State. This is a significant feat and every single woman in the cabinet has earned her right to be there”, Ponle noted.
She added that out of the 61 High Court Judges in Lagos State, 38 are women, emphasising that there is no other way to strike the right balance.

While noting that the environment, culture and society’s general perception of women still hinder their career path, Ponnle advised women to believe in themselves, be self-confident and show qualities to make them top-notch in the workplace. 
She urged participants to disabuse the mind of people from the thought that female voices are not meant to be heard.

The Commissioner further stated that women should be able to identify their primary and secondary responsibilities, stressing that they should not shy away from their duties, first as mothers before anything else, since they are major influencers in the society by the virtue of the natural role they play in teaching good morals and values to children.

“Globally, women are beginning to be recognised as key players in nation-building. International research has shown that the higher the number of women participating in a venture, the greater the success. Women should get a fair share in the scheme of things. It is normal to see corporate institutions encouraging women to take up positions because they now know what women are capable of doing”, Ponnle said.

Imploring women to make themselves indispensable when given roles to play, the Commissioner said, “When you put a woman in a place that needs transformation, women don’t compromise. Women have natural characteristics that are more sought after in management today”.

She also lauded the Public Service Staff Development Centre (PSSDC) for adapting and adjusting to the new normal by deploying virtual online communication to carry out its scheduled courses.

Also speaking, the Director-General of PSSDC, Dr. Senukon Olufunmi Ajose-Harrison, admonished the women to internalise the Commissioner’s advice, urging them to acquire the right skills for contributing their own quota to national development.

While noting that the female gender should allocate right and quality time to their responsibilities by trying to balance work with home, Ajose-Harrison thanked Mrs. Ponnle for sharing from her wealth of experience and for the key role she plays in training and retraining of public officers in the State.