Abia Approves 3 Weeks Paternity Leave for Nursing Fathers as Mothers Get 6 Months

The Abia State Government has approved six months of paid maternity leave for nursing mothers in the state and three weeks for the fathers.

Wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, disclosed this at the World Breastfeeding Week event held at the Abia State Children’s Specialist Hospital in Umuahia.

Mrs. Otti emphasized that the extended leave aims to support couples in bonding with their newborns and fostering harmony in households.

She urged fathers to use the leave to assist with domestic chores, allowing mothers to focus on caring for their babies.

The Abia First Lady reiterated the state’s commitment to creating mother-friendly workplace policies, including the establishment of creches in public and private institutions.

She used the opportunity to unveil a new creche at the State High Court headquarters in Umuahia, while another is under development at the State Secretariat in Ogurube Layout.

On the theme of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems,” Mrs. Otti noted that supporting breastfeeding contributes to a sustainable environment and helps mitigate climate change impacts.

She described breastfeeding as “nature’s way of providing optimal nutrition and care,” underscoring its health and economic benefits for both mothers and babies.

The Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, while describing breastfeeding as a “shared responsibility,” urged communities to support exclusive breastfeeding.

He emphasized that breast milk provides all essential nutrients for infants, laying the foundation for proper nutrition from birth.

On his part, the Executive Secretary, Abia State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Kalu Ulu Kalu, expressed concern that many nursing mothers are not adopting exclusive breastfeeding despite its proven benefits.

Kalu highlighted the state’s ongoing efforts to promote the practice through health worker training and community engagement initiatives.