The Nigerian Governors’ Wives Forum (NGWF) has called on governors and state legislators to implement the six-month Pay Maternity Leave Policy across the 36 states of the federation.
The forum made the call on Thursday, November 14, 2024, in a communique issued at the end of its annual retreat held at the Exco Chamber’s Centenary City in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
The chairperson of the forum, Olufolake Abdulrazaq, the wife of Kwara governor said the implementation of the policy will improve maternal and child welfare in Nigeria.
“The forum pledged to vigorously advocate for adopting six months of paid maternity leave, engaging executive governors and state legislators to promote this policy across all states for improved maternity and child welfare,” she said.
SMrs Abdulrazaq noted that the forum also endorsed the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) Initiative to protect the health of girls.
The forum, she said, is committed to sustaining advocacy for the HPV vaccine uptake to protect their health as well.
“The next line of action is a selective sensitisation of wives of local government chairmen on HPV vaccine and cancer awareness,” Mrs Abdulrazaq said.
Also speaking, the wife of the governor of Ebonyi State, Mary-Maudline Nwifuru who hosted the meeting, expressed satisfaction over the visit.
At the meeting was attended by 23 wives of state governors of the federation, a one-minute silence was observed in honour of their departed colleague, the wife of the Akwa Ibom governor, Patience Eno, who died on September 26, 2024.
