Byline: Umar Faruk
Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, Nigeria - August 2, 2025 (Series News Online)
Kebbi State's decision to implement a six-month paid maternity leave for public servants has been hailed as a major breakthrough in enhancing child welfare and nutrition.
This accolade was voiced by Mallam Muhammad Nasir Karofi, Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Kebbi, at the official commencement of World Breastfeeding Week 2025.
Addressing an audience at the Primary Health Center in Ambursa, Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area, Karofi extolled Governor Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris for this pioneering policy, noting, "He encouraged mothers to utilize the extended leave to breastfeed exclusively, highlighting its crucial impact on 'optimal nutrition and development.'"
Karofi also took the opportunity to acknowledge the diligence of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition and its collaborators in championing the adoption of a nutrition policy and an integrated action plan. He voiced optimism that these measures would "stimulate efforts to address the state's alarming nutrition deficits", a issue of growing public concern.
In a special address to the First Lady, Dr. Nafisa Nasir Idris, the NOA Director reaffirmed his agency's unwavering commitment, stating, "NOA, tasked with promoting government initiatives, will spare no effort in boosting exclusive breastfeeding rates via awareness campaigns and community mobilization."
The ceremony was attended by prominent stakeholders such as UNICEF, WHO, GAIN, and Helen Keller International, alongside traditional and faith leaders, all converging to advance maternal and child health objectives in Kebbi State.
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