The General Manager of the National Oil Refining Corporation, SONARA, Ibrahim Talba Malla, has qualified his female staff as dynamic and outstanding in their services to the Company.
“I am proud of SONARA Women. To say the truth, I have worked in several other places, but it took me very little time, when I came here to know that SONARA women are unique and dynamic,” the GM said while addressing female workers at the SONARA Club House after the women joined their peers the world over to commemorate the 30th edition of the International Women’s Day.
After taking over the management of the company on February 15, 2013, Talba Malla appointed several women to top managerial positions. Among them are Evelyn Martins, one of three Advisers and closest collaborator of the GM.
Besides her are many others like Violet Mokube, Head of Social Service; Gladys Arrey, Head of Public Relations Service and many others.
The GM said it was because SONARA women are of substance, “that is why I did not hesitate to appoint them to top managerial positions in the refinery.” He further asserted that, “My vision for the SONARA woman is growth and my determination is to make her what she deserves to be. That is to make her unstoppable.”
Applauds filled the air as the women saluted the GM’s pronouncements. Talba Malla said he is a proponent of the principle of equal rights and opportunities for both women and men.
The GM thanked the women for having invited their male colleagues to come and celebrate with them.
“Remain united with your male colleagues so that you can both make SONARA more profitable and competitive. Be women of good morals and high integrity,” the GM appealed.
With the Government presently engaged in the fight against Boko Haram, the SONARA boss called on the women to remain vigilant and security-conscious as they carry on with their different services in the company.
Earlier in her welcome address, Violet Mokube, on behalf of the women, thanked the GM for the encouragement, trust and confident bestowed on the women.
She said, “The SONARA women have asked me to thank the GM for the recent uplifting of women in the refinery through promotions. We are experiencing the Beijing demands in the refinery today,” she averred.
However, like Oliver Twist, Mokube pleaded with the GM to extend assistance to some SONARA worker’s wives groupings, which, she said, have, over the past years, acquired training on some income-generating activities, but have been grounded by lack of finance.
She thanked the GM, the Human Resource Director, the Director of Communication and Translation and others, for all their support in making the Women’s Day a success.
On her part, the Divisional Delegate for Women Empowerment and the Family, Prudentia Fokwen, thanked SONARA for the assistance given to her Delegation to make the celebration in Limbe memorable.
She reminded the women of this year’s theme, “Implementation of the Beijing Platform of Action in Cameroon, Achievements and Prospect.”
Appreciating the Government for the strides made so far, she maintained that the women still need to encourage the Government to provide more opportunities to women.
The Delegate regretted that there are still many children who are unable to go to school and that so many women are unable to have access to safe delivery because of poverty. Poverty, Fokwen said, is the greatest hurdle to women emancipation.
The Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, Zang III, urged the women to continue to collaborate with their male counterparts and be patient for the Government cannot do all at a go.
