Niger approves six months maternity leave for women

The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, has extended maternity leave for women in the state from three months to six months, saying it would give ample time to care for their babies and themselves.

The governor made this known during the week’s executive council meeting at the Council Chamber of the Government House, Minna, where he announced other enactments for the benefit of the residents.

He said the leave extension would help them become more productive when they resume and directed the Head of Service, Abubakar Idris, to work out modalities for the proper implementation of the policy.

“The maternity leave aims to protect maternal and child health in line with international best practices. Women will now spend six months at home to take care of themselves and their newborn baby,” Bago said.

The Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Binta Mamman, who briefed journalists after the council meeting, disclosed other measures approved by the Niger State government to improve the lives of the residents in the state

According to her, the governor also approved N1.3 billion to procure 23,000 chairs for the state’s primary and secondary schools.

Mamman explained that the chairs were specifically meant to address the needs of pupils and students in public schools.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Investment, Hamza Bello, also spoke on plans by the state government to establish a $200 million Compressed Natural Gas plant in Lambata, with the pending signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.

He also revealed that efforts were underway to construct 350 shops at the abandoned Suleja International Market and Motor Park, which he said would revive economic activities in the area as well as the resuscitation of the moribund Niger Fertiliser Company to enhance agricultural productivity across the state.