APC governors propose six months maternity leave for women

he Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) states have proposed six months of maternity leave for women.

This decision was taken on Thursday during a virtual meeting of secretaries to governments of All Progressives Congress States.

The theme for the virtual meeting is ‘Developing Common Policy
Initiatives on Maternal & Child Nutrition Promotion in the APC States’.

The overarching objective was to identify salient and common initiatives
of Maternal and Child Nutrition that can be replicated across all the APC controlled States.

During the meeting, the governors resolved to approve 180 days for maternity leave for women.

“In view of the importance of parental support for children at birth and the health of the nursing parents, the meeting recommended that APC controlled states should prioritise implementation of 180 days (6 months) maternity leave for women”

Read the Full Statement Below;

Communiqué of the Virtual Meeting of Secretaries to Governments of All Progressives Congress States.

1. Background

The Secretaries to State Governments controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC) held a virtual meeting under the auspices of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) on Tuesday, October 6, 2020.

The theme for the virtual meeting is ‘Developing Common Policy
Initiatives on Maternal & Child Nutrition Promotion in APC States’. The overarching objective was to identify salient and common initiatives
of Maternal and Child Nutrition that can be replicated across all the APC controlled States.

The Co-Chairmen of PGF Governance Programme Steering Committee,
His Excellency Simon Bako Lalong, Governor of Plateau State, declared the meeting open, while His Excellency Mohammed Abubakar Badaru,
Governor of Jigawa State, declared the meeting close.

The meeting held following the Progressive Governors approval of the framework on PROMOTING CHILD NUTRITION IN APC STATES,
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTION, which was recommended by the 9th Meeting of Secretaries to Governments of APC Controlled States that held April 27, 2020. Accordingly, the meeting reviewed the current status of the child and maternal nutrition in APC states and considered the implementation proposal by the PGF Secretariat.

2. Highlights of Presentations Following the opening address, participants considered the implementation proposal presented by the PGF Secretariat based on the assessment of the following key issues:

Status Report & General discussions on Maternal and Child Nutrition in the APC States; and Communication Template for Promotion of Maternal and Child Nutrition in the APC States.

3. Resolutions:

At the end of the meeting, the following resolutions were reached:

In view of the importance of parental support for children at birth and the health of the nursing parents, the meeting recommended that APC controlled states should prioritise implementation of 180 days (6 months) maternity leave for women;

The meeting observed the importance of exclusive breastfeeding to the growth and general health of a child and therefore recommends that APC controlled states should encourage and support women to practice six months exclusive breastfeeding for children from birth.

The meeting equally noted the importance of information and how it affects the attitudes of citizens toward the issues of nutrition and therefore urge APC controlled states to design a special communication strategy to raise public awareness on malnutrition and its consequences.

The meeting observed that there is no institutional framework for the implementation of programmes on food and nutrition in some states and therefore resolved that APC controlled states should set up State Committee on Food and Nutrition to relate with all FG programmes on Food and Nutrition and coordinate PGF’s implementation framework on child Nutrition in APC controlled state.

The meeting equally encouraged each APC controlled state to continually give Status Report on what currently obtains in their state with a view to creating a template that reflects the current status of each APC state on Child Nutrition and each SGS should nominate the focal person for their state to relate with the PGF Secretariat on the implementation, and the meeting finally adopts the PGF Secretariat proposal for follow up meetings with Commissioners of Health, Education and Agriculture of APC controlled States in order to develop sectoral work plans for the implementation of the approved framework on promoting child nutrition in APC states, challenges and opportunity for action.

4. Appreciation and Conclusion

The meeting agreed to continually share information, ideas and knowledge through its quarterly meetings and the PGF Secretariat to promote synergy across the member States and facilitate greater cooperation for uniform/common policy initiatives geared towards sustainable development.

Signed by
Alhaji Adamu Fanini
SGS Jigawa state

Prof. Danladi Atu
SGS Plateau State