By Laudia Sawer
Tema, June 28, GNA – The Tema Customs Ladies Club has held a one-day ‘Girl-Child Mentorship’ programme for female Ningo Senior High Technical School students to empower them to aspire to greater heights.
The mentorship programme was on the theme “Preparing the Next Nation-Builder.”
Members of the club, together with other ladies from stakeholder agencies, interacted with the girls, spent the day with them, and presented sanitary pads, washing powder, and drinks to them.
Ms Rachael J. Pyne, a Principal Revenue Officer and the Tema Customs Ladies Club President, said mentorship is more than a programme but a promise that they would serve to empower younger females against social pressure and self-doubt.
Ms Pyne, who is also an old student at the school, reminded the girls that success was about perseverance and integrity, stressing that the girls must know that they were powerful beyond measure and therefore should not allow their circumstances to define their potential.
“Let today be a turning point for you. Learn, ask your questions, be bold and believe in yourself,” she said and encouraged parents and teachers to urge their girls to succeed, as that is what the girls would thrive on to reach their goals.
She said the mentorship was a new project which they hope to sustain and take to other schools, noting that they have in the past presented items to the Tema General Hospital and Akuse Prisons but thought it wise to lead the young girls to the right paths.
Touching on the social media craze, she urged the girls to put their phones down and concentrate on their lessons, cautioning them that following social media activities wrongly could ruin their future.
Madam Esther K. Amekudzi, a Systems Administrator at the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), taking the girls through the work of Customs, said it was established in 1939 and went through some changes until 2009, when it became a division under the GRA.
She said the organisation, which is both a revenue and security agency, mobilises national revenue through the taxes and revenues they collect when people export and import, facilitate trade, ensure compliance with the laws, protect the country’s borders and national interests, and contribute to the economic growth of Ghana.
She said Customs has many departments that females can join and lead, adding that to join the division, junior officers must have a minimum of a West African Senior Secondary Certificate, while senior staff have tertiary qualifications in different fields.
“Women are encouraged and empowered to lead in the division; we have very leading positions in the service that women are occupying. Do not let anybody’s opinion limit yourself,” she stressed.
According to her, joining Customs provides career growth opportunities, technical knowledge, and job security, among others.
Madam Amekudzi encouraged the girls to stay focused and take their studies seriously, acquire soft skills, keep themselves informed on relevant issues, and be committed to achieving their dreams.
Madam Mawushi Adotey, Officer-in-Charge, Communications and Public Affairs Unit of Tema Customs, said they were committed to being role models to girls to inspire and invest in their potential, as according to her, by nurturing the girls, they were not only fostering individual growths but also securing the brighter future of the country.
Madam Adotey emphasised that “our voice carries weight in every setting, classroom, boardroom, everywhere. Having a voice is a fundamental right that must be defended, shaped and enhanced. Every girl deserves to stand tall and confident in spaces where she was born to lead.”
She urged females not to be only confined to a particular space, as they could do other things and acquire other skills alongside their main career.
“Aspire boldly, express yourself boldly, seek out mentors, and learn from both achievements and setbacks.”
She called on teachers to adopt intentional steps to support the girls through exemplary life, demonstrate confidence and inspire students to express themselves, creating safe spaces where girls feel their opinions are valid, as it helps with open dialogues and encourages them to speak out.
She also asked the teachers to celebrate small perspectives to help validate their perspectives and help reinforce their voices, as well as expose them to diverse role models, particularly successful African or Ghanaian women in various fields, to enhance their beliefs in their potential.
She added that “Teaching with the power of storytelling is another key step; teach them to start doing storytelling about themselves to help them articulate their dreams and success and help them challenge stereotyping and rewrite their stories.”
Miss Pricilla Tetteh, Head Girl of Ningo SHTS, commended the customs ladies, stating that the programme had taught them to be determined and focused to pass their WASSCE and climb to the highest they could aspire to be.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade