The Unilever Ghana Foundation has rewarded eight female graduates at the 16th edition of the Unilever Excellence Awards held in Tema.

The initiative was in support of Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan goal of empowering five million women across the globe by 2020.

The graduates were honoured for being adjudged the best female students of the 2012 / 2013 academic year by their former tertiary institutions.

Each awardee received a customised HP Laptop and assorted Unilever products.

Mr Andrew Quayson, Chairman of the Foundation, said the Foundation would continue to pursue opportunities to empower women in Ghana, indicating that it because the woman is the centre of the home, the pivot around which the whole family revolves.

He said the woman has greater influence on children and play a major role in educating them.

“When educated women are given the opportunity to hold leadership positions, they can do wonders, they challenge their male counterparts in discharging their duties effectively,” he added.

The Chairman said some years ago when he joined the company, there was only one junior staff, who was a female and today, the Managing Director of Unilever Ghana is a female, “this clearly showed Unilever’s commitment to women empowerment”.

Mr Gabriel Opoku-Asare, Head of Corporate Affairs, Unilever Ghana Limited, said the company has a deliberate policy of gender diversity, which seeks to facilitate a conducive environment to enable women thrive and compete favourably with their male counterparts.

He urged the students not to relent on their laurels but pursue excellence with hard work and integrity.

The awardees were Ms Yeng Saanchi and Ms Grace Emi-Reynolds from the University of Ghana, Ms Barbara Anuwe Adunah from University of Cape Coast and Ms Amina Issifu from Tamale Polytechnic.

The rest are Ms Millicent Akoi from Sunyani Polytechnic, Ms Hannah Acquah from Cape Coast Polytechnic, Ms Josephine Afekey from Ho Polytechnic and Ms Joyce Agyemang from Kumasi Polytechnic.

Ms Anuwe Adunah, a beneficiary and the best female graduate in Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Cape Coast said, “the recognition has challenged them to strive to attain higher heights in their future endeavours”.

The award winners were later taken on a factory tour to familiarise themselves with the operations of the company.