The Cross River State Government has approved six months maternity leave for all nursing mothers in the state civil service.
A circular dated December 16, 2024 and made public on Wednesday by the state’s Head of Service, Innocent Eteng said the extension of the maternity leave from three to six months is to improve the health and well- being of the mother and new born child.
The circular further stated that the extension was necessitated by the poor performance of the state in a breast feeding survey conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2023.
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“Arising from the World Health Organization’s rating of Cross River State breast feeding rate at 38.95 percent as at 2023, an indicator which is used in determining the number of exclusively breastfed children in a state and in view of the poor percentage recorded in Cross River State by the year 2023, Bassey Edet Otu, Governor of Cross River State has approved that henceforth every child born in Cross River State be entitled to six months exclusive breastfeeding which will in turn improve the health and well- being of the child in Cross River State.
“Accordingly, maternity leave is hereby elongated from three to six months for all nursing mothers in the civil/public service of the state.
“Chief executives, head of ministries, departments and agencies are requested to give this circular the needed publicity,” the circular said.
