Finally - Fathers get time with Babies as Lagos Approves 10-Day Paternity Leave

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has approved 10 days paternity leave for any male civil servant in the state whose wife delivers a new baby.

The measure is to afford them the opportunity of attending to developmental needs of the child.

Fashola also jerked up the maternity leave from three months to six, to allow the nursing mother give their child exclusive breastfeeding for the period.

Head of Service, HOS, Mrs. Oluseyi William, who disclosed this yesterday, at a joint briefing with the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lateef Ibirogba and Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, in Ikeja, said the new approved policy took immediate effect.

According to Williams, "male officers to whom a new baby (or babies in case of multiple birth) is born would be entitled to 10 working days paternity leave in relation to and at the time of his spouse's first two deliveries.

"Female officers shall be entitled to 24 weeks maternity leave with full pay in case of her first two deliveries and this commences, at least, two weeks before the expected delivery date.

"Any third and subsequent deliveries by any employee shall only attract 12 weeks maternity leave for the female officer, while the male officer shall not be entitled to paternity leave in that circumstance.

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