By Albert Allotey
Accra, March 25, GNA – Vivo Energy Ghana, the exclusive distributor and marketer of Shell-branded fuels and lubricants has held its maiden edition of ShePower Summit 2025 with a call on women to own their power and not to wait for permission to lead.
The shePower Summit is designed to inspire and empower young women to excel in their academic and professional journeys, particularly Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
The event, which was on the theme, “Fueling Change: Redefining Possibilities for Women in STEM”,seeks to promote female empowerment and inclusivity in traditionally male-dominated industries, including oil and gas sector.
The occasion formed part of the Vivo Energy’s commemoration of the International Women’s Day and the ongoing commitment to promoting gender diversity and inclusivity.
Dr (Mrs) Ellen Hagan, the Founder and Group CEO, L’AINE Group and Co-Founder/Legacy Girls’ College, who made the call said, “We must own our power, and must stop waiting for permission to lead.
“As women, many of us are taught to second-guess ourselves, to wait for someone else to affirm our worth. But true leaders are those who don’t wait. They don’t need someone to validate their authority – they own it and step boldly into positions of influence,” she stated.
She emphasised, “No one is going to hand us (women) the leadership positions or economic opportunities we deserve in STEM. We must step forward, confidently claiming the spaces that we belong in, and making sure our voices are heard.”
She said leadership was the ultimate frontier of empowerment and that women must be present at the tables where decisions were made – in governments, boardrooms, financial markets, and global institutions.
“Some have played a crucial role in pushing for legislative and institutional reforms to ensure that women are given equal access to leadership and governance roles.
As a leader in business, I have seen first-hand the transformative power of women in leadership,” she stated.
Dr Mrs Hagan said, “When women lead, businesses perform better, economies grow, and societies prosper.
“To help make this shift, we must start by resetting our mindset. It’s time to challenge those cultural stereotypes, internalised beliefs that limit us.
“As women, we need to see ourselves as agents of change – not just participants in a system, but the architect of new possibilities.”
She said the call to action was to accelerate the pace of change and make the future better for the women who would follow, stating “Let’s make difference for ourselves, our daughters, and for every woman.”
Madam Reinette Wessel, Vivo Energy Group Chief HR Officer in a speech encouraged women to devote 80 per cent passion for work and 20 per cent knowledge to improve their conditions of life.
She said Vivo Energy invested in future leaders through their young talent and internship programmes such as Young Talent Programme, Succession Pipelines, and Resource Strategy.
Madam Wessel said under the Young Talent Programme, 400 young talents/graduates joined their business for between six-12 months to gain workplace experience, while the Succession Pipelines strengthened the talent and value the input of young talent, which brought different thinking and ideas.
“Investing in young talent is part of our resourcing strategy – create an exciting and rewarding experience,” she stated.
Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection in a speech read on her behalf said the passage of the Affirmative Action Gender Equity ACT, (Act 1121) by Parliament would strengthen the efforts of increasing women and girls in decision making bodies such as the School Representation Council, among others.
“Additionally, the Ministry has taken steps to review and update the National Gender Policy (2015),” she stated.
She said the policy sought to create equal opportunities for all by mainstreaming gender equality and women’s empowerment concerns into the national development process to improve the social, legal, civic, political, economics, and cultural conditions of Ghana.
Dr Lartey said the Ghana Education Service under the auspices of the Ministry of Education had introduced new model schools for STEM schools.
“The introduction of these STEM schools has helped students to develop key skills including problem-solving skills, creativity, digital literacy, and critical thinking. Over five STEM schools have been established and operational.
“The results of these initiatives will invaluably promote gender equality, equity, and empowerment, thereby creating an enabling environment to ensure that more women and girls enter into STEM fields.
“As we move forward, we must remember that fueling change is not a one-time event, but a continuous process which requires effort, commitment and collaboration.
She commended Vivo Energy Ghana for their exemplary initiative of ShePower, which demonstrated their commitment to promote women and girls empowerment and inclusivity in traditionally male-dominated industries.
GNA
GRB