Vice President Commends WinE Mentorship Programme, Calls for More Inclusive Engineering Education

The Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has commended the Women in Engineering (WinE) wing of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) for its structured mentorship programme, describing it as a critical investment in the future of Ghana’s science, technology and infrastructure development.

She made the remarks in Accra when the leadership of WinE paid a courtesy call on her to congratulate her on her historic election as Ghana’s first female Vice President and to explore opportunities for collaboration to advance women’s participation in engineering and related fields.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang praised WinE’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of female engineers and underscored the urgency of reversing the declining interest and performance in science and engineering subjects, particularly among girls.

She called for a fundamental rethink of how science and engineering are taught including the language, methods and learning environments to make them more accessible, relevant and inspiring for young people.

“Women’s perspectives are not optional; they are essential,” the Vice President stated. “Inclusive participation leads to more functional, resilient and socially responsive outcomes in infrastructure, architecture and urban development.”

She further emphasized the critical role women play across all sectors of national life and encouraged women to actively shape public policy and decision-making at every level.

“Fear must never be a barrier to participation or leadership. Our perspectives matter, and they must shape the decisions that affect our lives and our nation,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of WinE, the President, Ing. Mrs. Naki Tetteh-Anowie, outlined the Institution’s structured mentorship pipeline, which supports girls and young women from early education through to professional practice, with the aim of building interest, confidence and long-term careers in engineering and related disciplines.

She highlighted the tangible contributions of women engineers to Ghana’s development, citing their involvement in major national infrastructure projects, including the Pokuase Interchange. Two female engineers who worked on the landmark project were part of the delegation, underscoring the growing professional footprint of women engineers in Ghana.

WinE also presented its plans to host regional and international Women in Engineering (WIE) engagements in Ghana, positioning the country as a hub for professional exchange, innovation and leadership for women engineers across Africa.

The group reaffirmed its commitment to expanding mentorship opportunities for female university students and proposed joint programmes, competitions and capacity-building initiatives in partnership with the Ministry of Gender and the Ministry of Science and Technology. These initiatives aim to strengthen technical capacity, increase visibility for women engineers, and generate evidence to inform policy and professional practice.

The engagement reflects a strong alignment between government leadership and professional institutions in building a more inclusive, innovative and future-ready engineering profession for Ghana.