Exclusive Breastfeeding: Otti’s Wife Pushes For 6 Months Maternity Leave For Mothers, 3 Weeks For Fathers

The wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti is pushing for the State Government to grant six months maternity leave for working mothers in the state and three weeks paternity leave for their husbands, saying it will encourage breastfeeding if it comes into place.

Otti’s wife said already plans are on the pipeline for this major policy shift in nursing mothers and their child’s wellbeing to come on stream.

Mrs. Otti who made this known during the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week celebration held in Umuahia, said the initiative was part of a larger state-wide effort to support mothers and create a mother-friendly work environment, in line with the year’s theme, “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems.”

She said the six-month paid leave for nursing mothers and three weeks for fathers if granted, will help to promote exclusive breastfeeding, enable bonding with newborns, and foster peace and harmony in homes.

She said the essence of seeking paternity leave for fathers was for them to actively support their partners during the paternity leave by assisting with household chores, thereby allowing mothers to focus on caring for their babies.

The Abia First Lady unveiled a newly built creche at the Abia State High Court headquarters in Umuahia which she said would assist in taking care of the babies of workers within the vicinity

She disclosed that another of such facility is being built at the State Secretariat, Ogurube Layout, to serve working parents in the civil service.

Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, while commending the Governor’s wife for her efforts, disclosed that “breastfeeding is a shared responsibility” that benefits the health of both mothers and infants.

Executive Secretary of Abia State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Kalu Ulu Kalu, expressed regret that many mothers in the state still do not practice exclusive breastfeeding, despite its widely acknowledged benefits.