Life Imprisonment For Wife-Beaters and Rapists in Ekiti State and More

The Ekiti State Government declared on Monday that wife-beaters and rapists will now face life sentences and that maternity leave period for women in its public service has been increased from 12 weeks to 16 weeks.

The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Information, Youth and Sports Development, Kola Ajumobi, made this known at a public enlightenment forum.

Mr Ajumobi explained that the maternity leave was approved by the state governor, Ayodele Fayose, as part of his display of love and special regard for women in the state. He further explained that it was also aimed at encouraging exclusive breast feeding for newly born children in the first six months of birth and to promote good nutrition for both mothers and their new born children. In addition to the 16 weeks maternity leave,mothers will be granted two hours’ off duty everyday for a period of six months from the date they resume from maternity leave.

Fayose says these new measures are aimed at reducing mother and child mortality and morbidity rate to the minimum. The crèche at the state secretariat has also been mandated to boost mothers and child bonding during official working hours without undue hindrance to performance and efficiency at the workplace.

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News sources also report that the permanent secretary complained about lack of good nutrition; poverty, hunger as well as lack of access to economic and political empowerment, stating that these are high contributing factors to maternal and child mortality. The present administration has promised to roll out various palliative packages exclusively for women to empower and guard them from avoidable travails. These include the provision of N500 million as revolving soft loan to promote small and medium enterprises driven by women.

Harmful traditional practices to woman’s nutritional and sexual reproductive health, such as widowhood rites and inheritance have now become criminal offences in the state.