IN a bid to improve the health of nursing mothers and children, governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress are to prioritise the implementation of 180 days (six months) maternity leave for women.

This was contained in a communique issued at the end of a virtual meeting of Secretaries to State Governments of APC-controlled states, which was jointly signed by Alhaji Adamu Fanini (SGS Jigawa State) and his Plateau State counterpart, Prof. Danladi Atu.

The communique of the meeting, which was held on October 6 (Tuesday), was released by the Secretariat of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, in Abuja on Thursday.

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It read in part, “At the end of the (virtual) meeting, the following resolutions were reached; in view of the importance of parental support for children at birth and the health of the nursing parents, the meeting recommend that APC-controlled states should prioritise the implementation of 180 days (six months) maternity leave for women.

“The meeting observed the importance of exclusive breastfeeding to the growth and general health of a child and therefore recommends that APC controlled-states should encourage and support women to practice six months exclusive breastfeeding for children from birth.”

The Co-Chairmen of PGF Governance Programme Steering Committee, Simon Lalong, Governor of Plateau State, declared the meeting open, while Jigawa State counterpart, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, declared the meeting close.