Faith-Titus OkaforMbah, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Synergy Data Technologies, a company that uses blockchain technology to solve challenges associated with data research, generation and ownership, has flayed the Federal Government for excluding women from the committee it set up to steer the nation’s blockchain policy.
It would be recalled that Nigeria took a step forward in the digital economy with the inauguration of the implementation and steering committee for the nation’s blockchain policy.
However, she said that the shadow cast by the omission of women in the committee, particularly the woman who was pivotal to the drafting of the policy, has cast a pall over what should have been a cause for celebration.
OkaforMbah stated that the gender disparity in the technology sector is not a new phenomenon; adding that it is a well-documented issue that has persisted for decades.
The entrepreneur argued that the exclusion of women from the implementation and steering committee of Nigeria’s blockchain policy moves beyond the typical under-representation, positing that it is a profound oversight that threatens the nation’s progress in the blockchain space.
She argued that the committee, as presently constituted, lacks the voice and perspective of a demographic that constitutes nearly half the nation’s population, stating that this is not just a question of fairness or gender equity, “it is about ensuring that the policy serves all Nigerians,” she added.
The tech- guru observed, is the exclusion of the woman who, alongside her team, was instrumental in the drafting of the blockchain policy, adding that t is a direct contradiction to the principles of inclusivity, diversity, and recognition of expertise that should underline such a crucial initiative.
OkaforMbah opined that “the omission of the architect of the policy from its implementation and steering committee sends a discouraging message to aspiring female tech professionals in Nigeria. It suggests that their contributions may not be recognized or valued and that they may be sidestepped when it comes to making crucial decisions, despite their expertise and competence.
OkaforMbah added, “It’s time to challenge the status quo. We must demand greater transparency in the selection process for such committees and insist on the inclusion of women at all decision-making levels, especially those who have proven their expertise and dedication to the cause.
The exclusion of women from the blockchain policy implementation and steering committee is a misstep. But it is also an opportunity; an opportunity to address the systemic issues that perpetuate gender disparity in the tech industry; an opportunity to acknowledge and rectify the under-representation of women in decision-making roles.”