Participants at the retreat

Female Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants recently appointed by Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state, have been advised to see their appointments as a call to service.

Wife of the state Governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, gave the advice on Monday in Benin, during a two-day retreat she organised for the female political appointees.

Recall that over 400 women from across the three senatorial districts of the state were recently appointed by Governor Obaseki into various offices and parastatals.

Mrs. Obaseki said the training became necessary to expose the new female political appointees on their roles and expectations in advancing development in the Governor Obaseki-led administration.

The Edo First Lady urged the women to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge that would enable them be outstanding in the discharge of their duties, noting that “men will not give women positions just because they are women, but because they merit it.”

“There is need to inculcate proper work culture that will make you productive in the discharge of your duties. 

“The Covid-19 pandemic has caused changes in the world, which means that only smart and innovative women would survive.

“You must be ready to change with the present reality, look inward and come up with strategies to survive during and after the pandemic,” Mrs. Obaseki said.

She therefore tasked the women to be in the fore front in the state government’s campaign on the prevention of Coronavirus disease at the grassroot.

Also speaking at the event, wife of the Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs. Maryann Shaibu, urged the newly appointed SAs and SSAs to be supportive of one another and work as a team.

Mrs. Shaibu who noted that women had continued to play active roles in the development of the state, urged the female appointees to contribute their quota at the grassroot level.

To ensure that the government’s social distance directive was observed at the retreat, a total of 200 women were trained simultaneously in 10 large halls via internet.