An advocacy group for women and children, Scaling up Nutrition in Nigeria, has called on the Federal Government to implement action on the extension of maternity leave for mothers to protect maternity and encourage breastfeeding.
President Prof. Ngozi Nnam, who hinted that the Lagos State government in July 2014, passed a law extending maternity leave to six months, noted that the extension would give mothers the leverage to stay at home and practice exclusive breastfeeding, which is cheaper and more nourishing for the baby.
“When six months maternity leave becomes legalised, nobody will have an option than to accept it. We are earnestly looking forward to that policy coming up in Nigeria.
“Experts have said exclusive breastfeeding is one of the ways by which mothers show love to their children, and that well breastfed children bond better with their mothers and they reciprocate the gesture as they grow older.
“Apart from Lagos , another state that has heeded the call for six months maternity leave is Enugu, which gave the approval in 2015. The push for the Federal Government to toe the line is in consonance with the expectations of the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is the chief advocate for global action on six months paid maternity leave.
“The global body is calling on government at all levels and other employers of labour to endorse the proposal because of its attendant benefits to the health of mother and child,” Prof. Nnam said.
Permanent Secretary, Lagos Ministry of Health Dr. Modele Osunkiye urged employers to support the initiative, adding that job security and non-discrimination on the grounds of maternity and breastfeeding should be encouraged by employers.
“Promotion and success of exclusive breastfeeding without any other additives, for the first six months of life requires collective effort, including employers of labour, community and religious leaders,” she said.