FG approves Paternity leave for civil servants

The Federal Government has approved the right to 14-day paternity leave for male civil servants.

The Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, announced this while briefing State House reporters after the virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

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She said this is to enable for proper bonding between the father and a newborn, either natural-born or adopted, especially at the early stages of the child’s life.

Mrs. Yemi -Esan said fathers of adopted babies of less than four months will also enjoy this gesture approved for federal civil servants.

Mrs. Yemi-Esan said fathers of adopted babies of less than four months will also enjoy this gesture approved for federal civil servants.

“We’ve gotten approval to include paternity leave. This is something that is new. And this is something that the unions in the service asked that we include, and luckily, we’ve been able to include it.

“We’ve also been able to ensure that leave now is calculated based on working days, not on calendar days, that also has been approved. We also have introduced the transition from paper service to a digital service. So these are some of the new things that are in the new PSR that has just been approved by the federal executive council.”

Asked to explain more on the paternity leave and those qualified to benefit from it, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation said, “Paternity leave is the leave that is approved for men, when their spouses or wives have given birth to a newborn baby, or if the husband and wife have just adopted a baby of less than four months, then the man is entitled to paternity leave of about 14 days.

“So, that is what has been approved for men so that the men and their babies also can bond well together. It’s important because we want the young children and the youth really to bond properly with their fathers, just as they bond well with their mothers.

“So, this is the first time, that has been approved now, for men to bond at the early stages, especially at the early stages of a child’s life, that is when it’s very important for this bonding to take place.”