FG approves 14 days paternity leave for civil servants

The federal executive council (FEC), presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday, approved 14-day paternity leave for civil servants. Folasade Yemi-Esan, head of civil service of the federation, disclosed while briefing state house correspondents at the end of the weekly meeting. Yemi-Esan explained that paternity leave will allow fathers to properly bond with their newborn babies or adopted children. “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,” she 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. It’s important because we want the young children and the youth to bond properly with their fathers, just as they bond well with their mothers.