News
Breastfeeding: Kaduna state government implements six-month paid maternity leave for working mothers
![](https://bodexng.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Breastfeeding1.png)
The Kaduna government has commenced the implementation of six-month paid maternity leave for working mothers in the state’s civil service.
In a statement to commemorate World Breastfeeding Week, Hadiza Balarabe, deputy governor of the state, said maternity leave duration was also extended from three to six months.
The Nigerian labour act allows lactating mothers to take three months’ leave while they are entitled to at least 50 percent of their monthly wages during the period.
But stakeholders over the years, have been advocating for an extension to six-month paid maternity leave to support nursing mothers in achieving optimal breastfeeding.
In 2018, we reported that the federal government increased maternity leave for women from 12 to 16 weeks.
World Breastfeeding Week is marked annually from August 1st to 7th to address issues of poor early breast milk initiation and exclusive practices.
Balarabe said the 2021 multiple indicator cluster survey (MICS) showed only 41.1 percent of children are exclusively breastfed in Kaduna.
She said optimal breastfeeding has enormous health benefits but is often hindered by workplace challenges for nursing mothers.
“Achievements so far recorded in support of nutrition interventions include pronouncement and implementation of a six-month paid maternity leave (extended from the earlier three months) for mothers working in the state civil service,” the statement reads.
“This has already taken effect across all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) with the hope that all others even in the private and federal sectors in the state will follow suit.
“I also have reports of a few MDAs in Kaduna that are yet to align to this six months maternity leave policy. This is not acceptable and will be dealt with soon enough.
“Establishment of creches across MDAs (ministry of human services and social development as well as the planning and budget commission) to support lactating mothers to continue breastfeeding their infants, even after the maternity leave and they resume work.
“This will lead to increased productivity of the working-class mother. The state has also commenced plans on how to expand the creation of these creches across other MDAs.
“The state government has established nutrition corners across 23 LGAs to provide nutrition counselling and practical demonstrations on how to adequately prepare food and feed infants aged six to 59 months.”
The deputy governor called on stakeholders at all levels, including public health experts and managers to provide a safe workplace environment for lactating mothers.
“It is imperative for government at all levels to focus on ensuring pregnant women and caregivers of children less than two years of age benefit from social protection measures to support appropriate, respectful, and safe maternity services and recommended infant and young child feeding practices in Nigeria,” she added.
News
EFCC warns casino operators, real estate agents against money laundering
![](https://bodexng.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/EFCC-freezes-over-300-accounts-linked-to-illegal-FX-trading.jpg)
The Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs) money laundering.
Businesses referred to as DNFBPs include casinos, real estate agents, dealers in precious metals, dealers in precious stones, lawyers, notaries and other independent legal professionals.
Speaking during a one-day sensitisation programme organised by the special control unit against money laundering, (SCUML) for DNFBPs, Michael Wetkaz, director of EFCC in Lagos, said businesses should not create room for criminally-minded people to thrive.
“The financial institutions, to a large extent, have been regulated; and the issues of terrorism have been of great concern, globally,” he said.
”As a result, nations have tightened measures to ensure that the bad people have very limited space or even no space to operate, thereby helping to improve safety and security.
“But if you allow these criminal activities to pass through your businesses, it will worsen the insecurity situation in the country.”
He said the business operators should do their part and report financial activities that may threaten the security of the country.
“Please, do your part and report activities that you are obligated to report. We are doing our part to sensitize you,” he said.
“We are doing our part to sensitize you. We do this, so you know what we are supposed to do and you are not caught on the wrong side of the law. We should all work together to make it difficult for the bad actors.”
News
FRSC to clamp down on vehicles without speed limit devices
![](https://bodexng.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/FRSC-to-motorists_-Resist-temptation-to-bribe-our-officers…-youll-be-prosecuted-if-caught.jpg)
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra State Command, says it will start arresting drivers and impounding vehicles without speed limit devices in the state.
The FRSC Sector Commander, Mrs Joyce Alexander, said this at a news conference on Friday, in Awka.
Alexander said that records had shown that the majority of road crashes were caused by speed violations resulting in tyre bursts and loss of control.
She said the enforcement became necessary as drivers speed recklessly, overload their vehicles and transport people, animals and goods, regardless of the consequences.
“The policy thrust of the new Corps Marshall is to rejig operations, reassess and reevaluate them for better performance in Anambra.
“I want to put FRSC on a central map in Anambra, create impact and reduce road crashes and disobedience to traffic rules.
“We will commence minimal enforcement to achieve this. Motorists have been mandated to fix speed limit devices but some have not complied.
“We will start arresting defaulters and make them pay fines. We will insist they install the device before we release their vehicles,” she said.
The Sector Commander said a joint task force would be constituted in collaboration with other sister agencies to decongest and ensure sanity on the roads during the ‘Ember’ months.
She said the Corps would also work with the media to amplify public sensitisation and enlightenment on traffic regulations.
“We will be working with the state government to ensure the roads are motorable, obstructions removed and road signs installed in appropriate areas.
“The endgame is to have a situation where road users arrive at their destinations alive and safe,” Alexander said.
Deputy Corps Commander Jude Nnamani urged the public to cooperate with FRSC to reduce crashes in the state.
News
EFCC hands over 53 recovered vehicles, $180,300 to Canadian police
![](https://bodexng.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EFCC-hands-over-53-recovered-vehicles-180300-to-Canadian-police.webp)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over $180,300 recovered funds to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The commission also said 53 vehicles stolen from Canada and brought into Nigeria were recovered nationwide have been handed over to the Canadian police.
At the handover ceremony on Friday, Ola Olukoyode, EFCC chairman, said the recovered assets—which were stolen by wire fraud and romance scam—would be returned to the victims.
Out of the total sum, $164,000 was reportedly stolen from Elena Bogomas, a Canadian national, in a romance scam, while $16,300 was from one Sandra Butler.
“It is common knowledge that financial crimes have taken a new turn all across the globe. It has become a global problem,” Olukoyode said.
“What affects one country in a matter of time, will affect other countries. The people who perpetrate these crimes, they do it in such a way that we discover that their activities are quite borderless and boundless.
“They employ all kinds of means to ensure that they move across various jurisdictions. That’s why it has become very necessary and imperative for us to collaborate with our friends across the world. People share the same objective and mandate with us.
“The Canadian royal mounted police has been collaborating with us and the demonstration of that collaboration has resulted in a lot of recoveries.
“As an agency and as a country, we are always ready to fight financial crime. Nigeria shouldn’t be seen as a hub. It is also to demonstrate that the government of Nigeria will never tolerate acts of financial crimes.
“We have recovered money, financial assets, and also we have recovered vehicles on behalf of the victims in Canada. As a matter of fact, a total of 53 vehicles were recovered on behalf of the victims. Also, in one instance, we had $164,000 U.S. dollars given to a Canadian victim known as Eleanor Bogomas. And also, we have here, another sum of $16,000 U.S. dollars stolen from another victim known as Sandra Butler.”
Nasser Sadiou, liaison officer, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Robert Aboumitri, first secretary of the Deputy High Commission of Canada, were present at the event.
-
Crime7 days ago
NDLEA intercepts 31 million pills, bottles of opioids worth N17.9billion at Lagos, PH ports
-
Business2 days ago
CAC threatens to shut down unregistered PoS businesses as September 5 deadline lapses
-
Business6 days ago
Zenith Bank wins investor confidence in the ongoing rights issue and public offer with N1.00 interim dividend as PBT hits N727 billion in H1 2024
-
Health1 week ago
5 drinks that can damage the kidneys
-
Celebrities1 week ago
Wizkid paid me N10m to play Asake’s ‘Fuji Vibe’ at UK show, says DJ Tunez
-
Crime1 week ago
Lagos task force arrests 25 hoodlums over attacks on motorists
-
Politics5 days ago
Kenneth Okonkwo hits Nigerians for not protesting petrol price hike
-
World1 week ago
Canada ends visitor-to-work permit policy