The Lagos State Government on Thursday announced new dimensions to its health policy on child bearing and raising in Lagos.
According to the policy, men whose wives are delivered of babies hence are entitled to a 10 day paternity leave in Lagos state, while women have their maternity leave extended by three months. This is applicable however to men in the employ of the Lagos state government
According to the Lagos State Head of Service, Josephine Williams, who announced these decisions at a press conference at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, said that instead of the three months maternity leave for its workers, the state government has increased it to six months.
"A female officer shall be entitled to 24 weeks maternity leave with full pay in case of her first two deliveries.
"The said leave shall commence at least two weeks before the expected delivery date.
"A male officer, to whom a new baby (or babies in case of multiple births) is born, shall be entitled to 10 working days." Williams said:
It was gathered that after the first two deliveries, mothers would then be entitled to only three months leave, but the father would still have 10 days leave.
The Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, explained the rationale behind the decision, according to Adesina, the six months leave would enable the nursing mother observe the recommended six months exclusive breast feeding for babies.
"At six months or 24 weeks, a baby is considered strong enough to be left in decent crèche".
No comments:
Post a Comment