Yesterday in Geneva Switzerland,Minister of labor and employer Chris Ngige at the ongoing International Labor Conference (ILC) announced that federal government of Nigeria has increased maternity leave for nursing mothers to four months.
This provision is for people in civil service.
Minister of labor and employment has urged employers of labor to adhere and comply with the regulation henceforth and should for no reason desist from employing women from work because of their marital or maternity status :
“Employers of labour (in Nigeria) are, by regulation, requested to provide workplace crèches for nursing mothers for ease at work place. In the public service, government recently increased the period for maternity leave from 12 to 16 weeks; to allow enough recuperation for both baby and mother, especially in the area of breast feeding. In addition, all disciplinary proceedings against any female staff, which might have been taken during the period of her maternity leave shall be put in abeyance till the expiration of the leave. Employers of labour are also barred from removal of women from work due to their marital or maternity status, illegal labour migration, contract staffing and labour casualisation which affects most women, are being reformed through policies and regulations at national, bilateral and multilateral levels”.
