The wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs Priscilla Otti, has disclosed that the state government may approve six months of maternity leave for nursing mothers in Abia State, while men whose wives give birth may also get three weeks of paternity leave.
She disclosed this on Tuesday at the World Breastfeeding Week event held at the Abia State Children’s Specialist Hospital in Umuahia.
Mrs Otti, who also commissioned the renovated creche facility at the High Court Complex, Umuahia, emphasized that the planned extended leave aims to support couples in bonding with their newborns and fostering harmony in households.
She urged Abia fathers to assist their wives with domestic chores, which she said would allow nursing mothers to be focused on caring for their babies.
The Abia First Lady reiterated the state’s commitment to creating mother-friendly workplace policies and said that another creche is under development at the State Secretariat in Umuahia.
On the theme of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems,” she said that breastfeeding is beneficial to both mothers and babies.
The Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, emphasized that breast milk provides all essential nutrients for infants, laying the foundation for proper nutrition from birth.
Also, the Executive Secretary, Abia State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Kalu Ulu Kalu, expressed concern that many nursing mothers have continued to shun exclusive breastfeeding despite its proven benefits.
