Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday approved six months maternity leave for every female worker who gives birth to a baby while in the state’s civil service.
However, the elongated leave term applies only for the first two deliveries, after which the female civil servant would return to the usual three months maternity leave for subsequent deliveries as stipulated by the state’s civil service rule.
While briefing newsmen about the new development at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Lagos, the state’s Head of Service, Josephine Williams also disclosed that the leave comes with full pay.
She further said the maternity leave for every expectant mother must commence at least two weeks to the date of delivery while male officers whose wife put to birth would be entitled to 10 free working days for paternity leave.
Williams clarified that after the second delivery, the male officer would no longer be entitled to any paternity leave.
“In other words, leave entitlement in respect of the third and subsequent children of an employee shall be in line with the extant (now old) maternity leave regulations,” Williams said.
“It would be recalled that in the old dispensation, female officers were entitled to only 12 weeks maternity leave at every point of delivery, while male officers do not enjoy paternity leave. The 12 weeks was to be taken six weeks before and six weeks after delivery.”
She explained that at six months, a baby is considered strong enough to be left in a decent crèche for proper care, having received close affection and nurturing by its mother for the very important and delicate first few months of life.
“While it is hoped that nursing parent-employees in Lagos State Public Service would utilise this privilege to devote fuller attention to their children, thereby promoting emotional bonding between parents and children when it matters the most, all public officers are again enjoined to remain dedicated and productive in their various beats and schedules,” she said.
She maintained that the government was not comfortable having nursing mothers leave their children at such age in the hands of other people arguing that this had also affected input and output in the civil service.
She expressed government’s plea to employers of labour to take a cue from the new policy to help advance a balanced family-work life.
