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World Breastfeeding Week : Imo Govt Proposes Paternity Leave As Panacea Ro Optimal Breastfeeding

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Imo government has urged the state House of Assembly to enact laws that will grant ten days paternity leave to fathers in the state as panacea to the challenge of optimal breastfeeding.

The state’s commissioner for health, Dr Damaris Osunkwo made this known while unveiling the banner for the 2020 World Breastfeeding Week as part of activities marking the Week in Imo.

Osunkwo also urged the Assembly to increase paid maternity leave for working mothers up to six months and mandate the establishment of crèches in both private and public workplaces in the state so as to make Imo a baby friendly state.

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READ ALSO: Imo Gov, APC Stakeholders Plotting To Take Over Edo Assembly, Speaker Raises Alarm

Speaking on the theme, ‘Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet’, the commissioner regretted that according to a recent survey, the state has infant and under-five mortality rates of 66 per 1,000 live births and 96 per 1,000 live births respectively.

She added that enacting child friendly laws would address these challenges as well as help to achieve the World Health Assembly (WHA) target of at least 50 per cent exclusive breastfeeding for 6months by year 2025 as against the current reality of 17.7 per cent.

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” I urge the 9th Imo Assembly to create the enabling environment for child healthcare and optimal breastfeeding by enacting laws to increase paid maternity leave for working mothers to six months and include ten days paternity leave for fathers “, she said.

READ ALSO: World Drug Day: NDLEA Seizes 744kg Exhibits, Arrests 87 Suspects In Imo

The Commissioner identified benefits of optimal breastfeeding to include decrease in incidence and severity of diarrhea, lowering of respiratory infections , prevention of dental caries, malocclusion and increased intelligence.

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Others are reducing of the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, lowering the risk of hypertension and helping with birth spacing in the case of mothers.

She however called on family members of lactating mothers to provide necessary support to them so as to reduce malnutrition and mortality among children below the age of five in the state.

” As we reflect on the state of Imo children below five years, I call on all breastfeeding mothers and their families to improve on the care practices as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

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” This will go a long way in improving child survival, growth and development “, she said.

READ ALSO: Edo 2020: Explain Edo Assembly Tussle To The World, APC Tells Obaseki

The unveiling was witnessed by permanent secretary of the ministry, Mr Anthony Igwe and the coordinator, Imo Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI), Mrs Chinyere Chukwukere alongside other management staff of the ministry.

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Out-of-school: Bauchi Education Ministry Takes ‘Back To School’ Campaign To Markets

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The Bauchi State Ministry of Education has launched a sensitization campaign on the importance of education across selected market places in the state.

The campaign aims to encourage school enrolment and showcase the infrastructural facilities provided by the Bauchi state government to ensure a conducive environment for learning and teaching in the state.

Speaking during the flag off of the campaign at Gadan-Maiwa Community, Dr. Mohammed Lawal, the state’s Commissioner for Education, emphasized that the marketplaces are ideal locations to promote education, as it is a hub of activity where people gather to buy and sell.

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READ ALSO:AGILE Leads 200 Girls On Road Walk To Create Awareness In Bauchi

He highlighted the various infrastructural facilities provided by the government, which he said included the mega schools, provision of qualified teachers, and educational materials to woo parents to enroll their wards into school.

The Commissioner noted that the state has made significant progress in reducing the number of out-of-school children.

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Lawal stated that the government has implemented a Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme to support the education of girl children, which he said, has recorded significant success.

READ ALSO:Bauchi Begins Production Of Exercise Books, Chalks For Schools

He therefore urged parents to take advantage of the government’s efforts and send their children to school.

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The commissioner also commended Governor Bala Mohammed for his commitment to education and reducing the number of out-of-school children in the state.

On their part, the village head of Gadan-Maiwa, Safiyanu Ahmed, and the Chairman of Gadan-Maiwa motor Park, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar, lauded the government’s initiative and urged parents to support the effort.

The duo also appealed for more teachers to be employed to improve education in the state.

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How My Fiancée kept Me From Temptations – Singer Spyro

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Nigerian singer, Oludipe Oluwasanmi David, popularly known as Spyro, has revealed that his fiancée, Janet Atom, keeps him him grounded and away from temptations.

The ‘Who’s Your Guy’ crooner shared that before meeting his fiancée he was “tempted” by ladies, especially in Lekki.

Hailing his fiancée as his “Jesus baddie,” he appreciated her for changing his life.

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READ ALSO:Drama In Abuja Hotel As BBNaija Star, Phyna Creates Scene Over alleged N200,000 Dispute [VIDEO]

The singer captioned a picture of his fiancée via Instagram; “Eiii God! My very own Jesus baddie @_callme_njure.

“Thank you again for saving me from Lekki girls o, na me know wettin my eyes see.”

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Recall that Spyro recently engaged Janet Atom. He disclosed that he met her at a nightclub while announcing their engagement in September.

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Drama In Abuja Hotel As BBNaija Star, Phyna Creates Scene Over alleged N200,000 Dispute [VIDEO]

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Former Big Brother Naija winner, Ijeoma Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, was reportedly involved in a heated altercation at a hotel in Abuja following an alleged N200,000 disagreement.

According to eyewitness accounts, the confrontation began in the early hours of Tuesday inside Phyna’s hotel room in Abuja, before spilling into the lobby, attracting the attention of guests and staff.

Sources claimed the dispute stemmed from an unsettled financial issue involving N200,000, which quickly escalated into a shouting match.

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The argument reportedly intensified when neither party was willing to back down, leading to pushing and chaos within the hotel premises.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: BBNaija Season 7 Winner, Phyna, Loses Sister, Ruth Otabor After Accident

Eyewitnesses further alleged that the situation worsened after others connected to the individuals involved joined the confrontation, turning the verbal exchange into a physical clash.

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Security personnel and police officers were eventually called in to restore order, using teargas to disperse the crowd.

The incident comes shortly after Phyna returned to the public eye following a brief break to mourn the death of her sister, who died in an accident involving a Dangote truck.

Watch video:

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