1
Chinwendu Nnadozie
The wife of the Niger State governor, Hajia Fatima Bago and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), have expressed concerns that only about 15 percent of lactating mothers practise exclusive breastfeeding in Niger State and 34 percent at the national level and therefore wants more to embrace the trend for derivable benefits.
The Governor’s wife and the UNICEF Chief Field Officer spoke separately during the flag-off of the year, 2025 breastfeeding week in Minna, Niger state capital, expressing concerns that only few women/mothers feed their babies exclusively with breast milk.
“Only 15 percent of women in the state have adhered to the practice, while at the national level it is 34 percent”, the UNICEF Chief, Dr. Gerida Birukila who was represented by Health Specialist, Dr. Ahmed Tsofo said.
“As UNICEF we are advocating to governments at all levels to ensure the six months maternity leave as a policy is approved and fully implemented”.
He however observed that only 10 states, including Niger state have approved the 6 months maternity leave for working class mothers with full pay.
“We are giving support at all levels of government so that when it is strictly applied, the indices for breastfeeding in Niger state is 15.7 percent while at national level it is 34 percent.”
Wife of the Niger state Governor, Hajia Fatima Bago, flagging off the programme encouraged lactating mothers to breastfeed their children exclusively within the first six months.
“Breastfeeding helps in a way of family planning and as well prevent diseases from affecting the children, hence we encourage them to breastfeed their babies for up till 23 months”.
Also speaking during the sensitization which took the participants to some communities within Minna the state capital, the team lead of the UNICEF U-Report, Hajiya Aisha Ndagi said the essence is to encourage more women adhere strictly to the six months exclusive breastfeeding for maximum benefits.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner of Primary Health Care, Dr. Ibrahim Dangana said all breastfeeding mothers in the state are benefitting from the six months maternity leave.
“The six months maternity leave has been gazetted and already in practice”, the Commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Gana said.
The State Executive Council (SEC), he said has given its approval for the six months fully paid maternity leave for all lactating mothers after delivery.
