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In a bid to ensure all round development of infants and to promote healthy living for pregnant women and nursing mothers, especially those in the employment of Oyo State Government, the House of Assembly is seeking an increase in maternity leave from four months to six months.
This was part of the resolutions of the House on Tuesday while deliberating on a motion presented by Hon Olawumi Oladeji, representing Ogbomoso North state constituency.
Oladeji, who said maternity leave varies from one state to another in Nigeria, added that states like Kaduna, Lagos, Enugu and Ekiti have increased theirs to six months while some have also approved paternity leave for men.
The House urged its Committee on Women Affairs to work with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Women Affairs on how to review the maternity leave for female public servants in the state upward.
Contributing, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin said the upward review was aimed at meeting the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO), noting that the present four months maternity leave fall short of international standard.
“We have empathy for our women and pain they bore during childbirth and task of taking care of the infant especially practising exclusive breastfeeding hence we will ensure the best is approved and giving to them.
” The Committee is taking the assignment just like every other one before the 9th Assembly seriously and we will ensure maternity which is a necessity is increased, ” Ogundoyin said.