By Jimoh Babatunde

 
Continental Hotels Group, a budding Nigerian hospitality company, has reiterated its commitment to fostering gender equality in workplace as Nigeria joined other nations to mark International Women’s Day.

The group, which operates the Abuja Continental Hotel and Lagos Continental Hotel, has given growth opportunities to its workforce, especially the female folks, a development that has seen many women taking up leadership positions in the group.
Speaking during a special reception to honor women on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Group General Manager, Continental Hotel Group, Karl Hala,  said When women take the wheel, things move forward.

He urged all women to continually strive, keep and keep accelerating action for a more inclusive and equitable future.

He also stressed the need to uplift and support every woman and girl, ensuring they have the right to dream, the power to act, and the platform to rise.

Continental Hotel Group’s commitment to gender equality, according to him, is evident in its operations.

 “We have women in key leadership positions, including on our board of directors.

Additionally, we have implemented policies and programs to support women’s growth and development, including a nursery for working mothers.

“We believe that women have a vital role to play in shaping the hospitality industry. We are committed to providing them with the opportunities and support they need to succeed.”

One of the female beneficiaries of the growth opportunities in the group, Cuthberga Onuoha, Director, Rooms Division, Lagos Continental Hotel, noted that the group is now a reference point for gender equality in the Nigerian hospitality industry, considering the fair opportunities given to every staff member.

“In Lagos Continental Hotel for example, in the executive group, head of departments, we are about 60-40 for females, and that means the females are more.

“That means Lagos Continental has already started giving females opportunities. If we as a hotel are doing that, other hotels are seeing it and will follow.

“We are now like a reference point for other is in gender equality in workplace,” Onuoha said.

Apart from its open policy, Onuoha noted that the group at its Lagos and Abuja properties, make workers, especially the ladies to feel relaxed to do their jobs, amid having nursery for their babies in the hotels.