Abia State Considers 6-Month Maternity Leave and 3 Weeks Paternity Leave

Nursing mothers in Abia State may soon enjoy six months of maternity leave, while fathers could receive three weeks of paternity leave to support their families, according to Mrs. Priscilla Otti, wife of the state governor.

She shared this development during the World Breastfeeding Week ceremony held at the Abia State Children’s Specialist Hospital in Umuahia on Tuesday.

The proposed leave extension, she explained, is aimed at strengthening family bonds and creating more supportive environments for newborns.

“This initiative will help couples bond with their babies and promote harmony in homes,” she stated, shortly before commissioning a newly rebuilt crèche facility at the High Court Complex in Umuahia.

Mrs. Otti encouraged fathers in Abia to support their wives with household responsibilities, especially during the critical early months of child-rearing. She emphasized the importance of enabling mothers to focus on breastfeeding and infant care.

She also announced that another crèche is currently under development at the State Secretariat, underscoring the government’s broader commitment to making workplaces more mother-friendly.

“Breastfeeding is beneficial for both mother and child,” she said, echoing this year’s World Breastfeeding Week theme: “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems.”

Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, Abia State’s Commissioner for Health, reiterated that breast milk provides all the nutrients a baby needs in the early stages of life, setting the foundation for lifelong health.

Despite this, Dr. Kalu Ulu Kalu, Executive Secretary of the Abia State Primary Health Care Development Agency, noted that many mothers still shy away from exclusive breastfeeding, despite its well-documented benefits.