The Kwara State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN) has launched advocacy visits to expedite the implementation of a six-month maternity leave policy for civil servants, aiming to bolster exclusive breastfeeding practices in the state.

According to ROYAL NEWS, the initiative aligns with broader efforts to enhance maternal and child welfare. Acting SCFN Chairman Alhaji Kayode Alimi disclosed this during meetings on Tuesday with the Acting Head of Service, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad, at the Governor's Office, and the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Afolashade Oluwakemi, at the Ministry's headquarters in Ilorin.

Alimi emphasised that the policy, already federally approved, requires accelerated adoption following the state government's endorsement on 29 May 2023. He stressed its dual benefits: improving health outcomes for mothers and infants while boosting productivity in the civil service.

"Though the State government has registered its commitment to implement the policy but this Committee see the necessity to pay advocacy to all the Stakeholders for prompt implementation of such policy", he said.

Also Speaking, the Project Manager, Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria, Dr. Habeeb Lawal, noted that issues of malnutrition should be of utmost concern in the country, as a child with malnutrition will not add any value to the economy of the country, while revealing that fourteen states have already implemented six months maternity leave in the country.

"Children that are supposed to be the leaders of tomorrow should be centered and priority to nurture them with good food is necessary", he added.

Dr. Lawal urged the State government to commence the implementation of six months maternity leave for breastfeeding mothers in the civil service and advocated for the establishment of Nutrition Departments across the Line Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

Responding, the Acting Head of Service, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad, commended the SCFN members for their unrelented efforts to promote child nutrition in order to eradicate sturting in children, disclosing that the State government is working assiduously on the implementation of the policy to assist breastfeeding mothers in the state civil service.

Similarly, the Commissioner for Women Affair, Hon. Afolashade Oluwakemi, appreciated the Committee for its efforts at ensuring that the policy is implemented to nurture the nutritional needs of children in the State, stressing the need to encourage nursing mothers to breastfeed their babies appropriately.

The Commissioner, who was represented by the Director, Personnel, Finance and Supply, Hajia Adenike Akanni, said the Ministry will also follow up and ensure prompt implementation of the policy.