Following its recent foray into clean energy which is now one of its strategic business units (SBUs), Oando Energy Resources, has appointed an environmentalist, Mrs. Nana Mede, into its board of directors.

The energy solutions provider announced Mede’s appointment in a statement issued on Sunday, adding that she would bring her expertise to ensuring the company’s clean energy ambitions were actualised.

Oando described the appointment of the new clean energy driver of the company as crucial.

Mede has served as a permanent secretary at the Federal Ministry of Environment, where she coordinated the formulation of the Nigerian Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) document on Greenhouse Gases (GHG) in relation to Climate Change.

The INDC document was presented by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Conference of Party (COP 21) in Paris, 2015.

The company also announced the appointment of another seasoned female professional, Mrs Ronke Sokefu, into its board of directors, explaining that the appointment of women into its board showed its sensitivity to gender balance and gender inclusion in the Nigerian energy sector.

Sokefun, an Alumnus of Oando, has over 35 years of work experience, according to the statement.

In 2002, she moved to the Oando Group, where within a few years, she rose to the position of Chief Legal Officer.

The statement added that during this period, Sokefu also sat on the board of the telecom’s giant – Celtel/Zain (now Airtel) as an alternate director.

“A review of Oando’s culture shows that it has been conscious of the imbalance within the sector and as such, has always prioritised two things: strengthening indigenous capacity and ensuring gender parity wherever possible,” Oando stated.

It said today, 43 per cent of the company’s workforce is female, compared to 22 per cent across the industry.

It added that, of this, 33 per cent of executive-level employees are female with the hope that its female representation on its board continues to grow.