The President of Female Drivers Association of Nigeria (FEDAN), Abuja branch, Mrs Eunice Odeghe, has called on women to take up more challenging professions in the country.
Odeghe made this call in an interview with newsmen Saturday in Abuja.
According to her, we encourage females to take up more challenging professions, because white collar jobs are not meant for everybody; but with driving you are self employed and can take care of your financial needs.
“Women must be wise and wake up from their slumber to explore other potentials; we must stop depending on people when we are able bodied beings.
“Women must ask themselves their purpose on earth and fashion out ways of exploring it.
“Women must sit up and think outside the box, they must do research and explore areas where people do not have interest in and they will be proud that they take up such challenges,” she said.
Odeghe called on women to discover their potentials and contribute their own quota to nation building.
She, however, said that driving profession for a woman could be challenging as most times they were intimidated by the male drivers.
“To avoid some dangers on the road we, the female drivers, have made it a rule not to work till late in the night.
“When you leave your house in the morning and work till around four or five o’ clock in the evening it’s better you close for the day and go home, we do not encourage late movement at all, ’’she added.
Odeghe also noted that driving could be a silent source of income for women, adding that women should be informed, enlightened and encouraged into taking up driving jobs.
“Drivers are professionals and destiny carriers, and without them some people cannot move. Even those who can drive still employ professional drivers to serve them.
“FEDAN, as an NGO, advocates for women empowerment and we also focus on informing transporters on the dangers of trafficking and child abuse.
“We look out for this when we carry passengers too; we are information carriers,” she added.
Odeghe, however, called for partnership with security agencies as drivers are closest to the masses and they could be a good source of information for security agencies.
She also noted that the FCT has about 21 female drivers, while 15 others have been trained and are waiting to be empowered with vehicles to start their own business.
NAN reports that FEDAN was officially inaugurated in 2013 with the aim of empowering women in the society and alleviate poverty.