World Breastfeeding Week; Oyo First Lady Addresses Nursing Mothers, Lauds Oyo Government

By: Ashe

In commemoration of the World Breastfeeding Week, which takes off on Tuesday, the wife of the Oyo State governor, Mrs. Tamunominini Makinde, has encouraged nursing mothers in the state to adopt exclusive breastfeeding for their babies in the first six months to ensure their optimal growth and good health.

The First Lady said her office would be collaborating with the Nigerian Governors’ Wives Forum to sensitize nursing mothers on the need for them to imbibe the culture of exclusive breastfeeding for babies because of the inherent benefits in it.

A statement from the Office of the Wife of the Governor indicated that Mrs. Makinde stressed the importance of a minimum of six months of exclusive breastfeeding, saying “breast milk provides the best nutrition for babies because it has the right number of nutrients. It is easily digested and is readily available.”

Mrs. Makinde equally lauded the Oyo State government for approving six months of maternity leave with pay for nursing mothers in the state.

She charged private organizations and other employers in the state to follow in the footsteps of the State government by approving six months of maternity leave with pay for all nursing mothers in their employment to ensure the wellbeing of infants.

She also stated that to make life easy for working nursing mothers in the state, the Government has a crèche at the Oyo State Secretariat Complex as well as in some other Government offices within and outside the State Secretariat.

Mrs. Makinde thus enjoined employers to do the same for their female staff so that it would be easy for them to take care of their babies while at work.