Nestlé Ghana, a leading Nutrition Health and Wellness Company, has opened an all female dedicated production line to empower women to take up more roles to enhance productivity.

Through this move, which is the first of its kind in the country, the company is seeking to give women more economic opportunities to excel in areas that where hitherto male dominated as a way of providing equal opportunities for all.

As a company that supports exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continuous breastfeeding for two years or more, Nestle Ghana has additionally commissioned a nursery to ensure that employees, who need to, could bring their babies to work and leave them with their caregivers in the nursery.

The facility would provide a safe space that would make it easier for mothers to breastfeed intermittently and bond with their children whilst at work.

Ms Phelomina Tan, the Managing Director of Nestle Ghana, at a ceremony to open the facilities in the Tema Factory, said they were part of a series of activities to kick-start this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) on Friday, March 8.

This years IWD would be under the global theme; “Balance for Better” and Nestlé sub theme; “Aspiration to Action”.

The Managing Director said the company recognised the importance of diversity as women continued to prove that when given the opportunity, they would excel.

Ms Tan said as part of commitment towards ensuring gender balance, Nestle Ghana provided four months paid maternity leave for mothers and five days paternity leave for fathers to support their wives.

Breastfeeding Mothers, she added, were given the opportunity to request for two months unpaid leave if required.

She urged women who had been given the opportunity to continue to excel and lead the way for other women to follow and urged other organisations to do same.

Madam Gifty Twum-Ampofo, the Deputy Minister of Gender Children, and Social Protection, commended Nestle for the initiative, which was in tune with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on Equity and Gender Equality.

“With President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo being the co-chair of the SDGs and a Gender Champion of the African Union he will be very happy about this development. This is a wonderful initiative and a big present for the country,” she stated.

She urged companies to give women the chance to prove their worth by serving at managerial positions because they had the skill and knowledge to grow and boost productivity.

“Due to the additional responsibility of child birth and care, women have constantly been sidelined and have not been allowed to climb to managerial levels,” Madam Twum Ampofo said.

Women are resilient and so companies need to give them the opportunity to prove themselves.”

Source: GNA