Head of Government Relations, Ghana Gas, Augustina Asare Osei has retreated that there is the need for affirmative action to bring more females into the tech space.
She expressed her consend during the Females in Tech (FEMITECH) 2024 conference held on March 7 to commemorate International Women’s Day at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE).
Augustina Asare Osei was of the view that creating room for professional growth is essential on the part of females as a means of inspiring inclusion.
She added that the need to identify limitations and pair them with those who have the strengths in tech field will help encourage more females to improve their personal growth and be flexible.
Speaking on the topic ‘What are some of the best practices that can enable women to be successful in the working environment and the Strategies to empower them’, Augustina Asare Osei exemplified herself as someone whose staff appreciates “the inclusiveness of how she operates”.
She indicated that, as head of her department she does not consider herself a force but rather does not just want people to take instruction from her but adapt to direction and leadership.
Augustina Asare Osei, further stated that in this current dispensation, not working means you are not beneficial to your husband or family.
“It is expected of women to be excellent wives, mothers and daughters by providing the necessary skillset, peer-to-peer mentorship and leadership,” she said.
FEMITECH, an annual event commemorating International Women’s Day, celebrates female achievements in technology while showcasing opportunities in ICT for women. Organized by the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, the conference serves as a platform for empowering women and driving inclusivity in the technology sector.
The FEMITECH conference convened women from academia, industry, and beyond to address challenges associated with gender equality and equity. Notably, three women were honoured for their contributions to promoting technology: Hon Ama Pomaa Boateng, MP for JUABEN Constituency, Ashanti Region; Madam Esther Akua Gyamfi, Executive Secretary of the National Council on Persons with Disabilities (NCPD); and Thabisile Phumo, Executive Vice President for Stakeholder Relations at Sibanye-Stillwater, South Africa.
The Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE) has been instrumental in the country’s digitalization efforts, having trained 50,000 personnel over the last two decades. Offering programs in Cyber Security, Data Analytics, and Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), among others, GI-KACE aligns its training with Ghana’s development objectives, contributing significantly to national progress. As a leading global centre of excellence in ICT and e-Governance solutions, GI-KACE provides research, innovation, consultancy, advisory services, and human capacity building tailored to accelerate national development in the 21st century