Lagos Declares 6 Months Maternity Leave

Henceforth, female workers in the Lagos State Civil Service will be entitled to six months maternity leave, the state government has declared.

Making this pronouncement on Thursday, Lagos State Head of Service, Josephine Williams, at a press briefing at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Ikeja, the state capital, explained that the new policy is aimed at improving the state government’s health policy on child bearing and raising.

Williams stated that 10-day paternity leave has also been approved for the male workers on the state’s payroll once his wife delivers..

“A female officer shall be entitled to 24 weeks (six months) 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 announced.

The Head of Service also explained that after the first two deliveries, the father would still enjoy the 10-day leave, while the mother will only enjoy three months maternity leave.

Before now, female workers were only entitled to three months maternity leave.

Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Public Health, Yewande Adeshina, explaining the rationale behind the development, said, “at six months or 24 weeks, a baby is considered strong enough to be left in decent crèche for proper care, having gone through. affection and nurturing by mother.”