ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi has re-assured Women engineers in the country that isles and Union governments will continue to recognize their contributions to the national development.
He said the two governments will continue to support women engineers in the country.
“We appreciate the work you are doing. We believe that through such meetings where you share experiences and hard work, you play a significant role in supporting the governments’ efforts to encourage innovations and engineers to boost our nation’s development,” Dr Mwinyi said.
The message was contained in his short speech at the opening of the 8th Tanzania Women Engineers Convention and Exhibitions (TAWECE) held here yesterday.
He urged the female engineers to remain committed to contribute positively to the development of the country and ultimately ‘Tanzania can achieve its goal of a high middle-class economy status by 2025.’
Enthusiastic Mwinyi urged the female engineers from the Mainland and Zanzibar to strengthen collaboration as he thanked the event organizers for initiating exhibition as part of the conference, showcasing various products and services offered by the TAWECE and the stakeholders in the country.
“You planned well because this is a creative exhibition that is likely to encourage female students in colleges and secondary schools to love engineering profession. You should encourage girls to love subjects that will lead them to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM),” he said.
Dr Mwinyi said that to date statistics show that there is still a few women in engineering and other science professions, “I am glad to see students from secondary schools have come to visit the exhibition and conference presentations that aimed at educating and capacity building of participants including young people.”
“The Power of Diversity and Inclusion in Engineering Workforce, ‘Women Perspectives” is this year’s theme, which the Isles president commended the conference organizers for choosing it as it promotes collaboration among Women in different Engineering Careers.
He further promised that both governments have been working closely to engage women in a variety of activities create an enabling environment for self-employment, access available opportunities, and support in improving education and skills; and also have a budget for research and innovations.
“We need to continue working together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially empowering women and girls to become scientists including the field of engineering because science and engineering is the backbone of most economic activities,” he said.
Dr Mwinyi commended both Ministries responsible for infrastructure, construction and transport in Zanzibar and Mainland to support female graduate engineers to have field or practical training to qualify to be registered as professional engineers through the Structured Engineers Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) administered by the Engineers Registration Board.
The Isles minister of Infrastructure, Communication and Transport Dr Khalid Salum Mohamed praised the ongoing work done by engineers including female engineers, of various fields in building road infrastructure, the construction of regional and district hospitals as well as various schools in Zanzibar.
TAWECE President Eng Vema Moudle, said that the role of the conference was to ensure the strength of participation and involvement of women in engineering, and also promoting the engineering profession in Tanzania, “Ensuring that through women engineers they bring great change in their life and nation.”
Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Works and Transport (Works), Ambassador-Cum-Engineer, Aisha Amour, d in the Union government, talked on behalf of the Minister Prof Makame Mbarawa, saying only 4,623 female engineers (equivalent to 13 percent) of 35,000 engineers in Mainland, “This is a very small number of women, we need to at least double the number .”
The two-day conference involves about 700 participants from within the country and abroad including male and female engineers as well as students and stakeholders in engineering fields.