Lagos okays paternity leave •Maternity leave now 6 months

AS a way to encourage good parenting among its workforce, the Lagos State government, on Thursday, for the first time in the country, has granted a 10-working days paternity leave to male employees. It also extended the maternity leave of its female employees by three months, bringing it to a total of six months. However, both the extension of maternity and the 10-day paternity leaves will apply only for the first two births of the couple, after which the female employees revert to the old three months, while the male employee ceases to enjoy such privilege. This, it was said was to enable them give their new born babies the required attention in their first few months in life. The policy, which is in line with the state’s policy of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life, will enable mothers take proper care of their babies and recoup well from the stress of child birth before resuming work.