Male civil servants whose wives put to bed in Enugu State are now entitled to a three weeks paternity leave, to give such husbands the opportunity to support their nursing wives, according to the state government.
Also, a six months maternity leave is to be granted to nursing mothers, in a new amendment made to the state government’s Civil Service rules.
Female workers who gave birth were previously entitled to three months maternity leave while the men whose wives delivered babies were not exempted from work.
Similarly, the state government also resolved that henceforth, nursing mothers were free to breast-feed their babies in offices during work hours.The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sam Ngwu, who disclosed these in Enugu on Wednesday, said the new policy would strengthen the family as a social unit and also promote mother and child welfare.
Unveiling plans to mark the 2015 Breast Feeding Week in the state, Ngwu explained that the extension of the maternity leave would encourage nursing mothers in the state to engage in the internationally recommended four to six months exclusive breast feeding of newborn babies.
He said nursing mothers should be allowed to continuously breast feed their babies anywhere they work, whether in the private or public sector.
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