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Expert Reveals How Community Support Crucial To Improved Breastfeeding, Maternal Health

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Expert Reveals How Community Support Crucial To Improved Breastfeeding

Expert Reveals How Community Support Crucial To Improved Breastfeeding, Maternal Health

Expert reveals how community support crucial to improved breastfeeding, maternal health. She called on policymakers to prioritise paid maternity leave and breastfeeding-friendly workplace policies.

Khadijat Adeleye, a public health expert, says sustained support across family, community, workplace, health systems and policy levels are crucial to improving breastfeeding rates and maternal health outcomes.

Ms Adeleye, a maternal health advocate, said this in an interview with journalists on Sunday in Abuja.

She spoke as part of activities to mark the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week.
This year’s theme for World Breastfeeding Week, which will be observed from August 1st to 7th, is “Let’s Make Breastfeeding and Work, Work!”

The theme stresses the need to create supportive environments that enable mothers to breastfeed while balancing work commitments successfully.

The campaign highlights the importance of essential maternity rights and workplace accommodation to ensure that mothers can continue breastfeeding for as long as they choose.

Ms Adeleye said that while exclusive breastfeeding is one of the most effective interventions for reducing infant mortality, it remains underutilised in Nigeria due to fragmented support systems.

“We can not expect mothers to successfully breastfeed without consistent encouragement and structures in place, whether at home, work or the health facility.

“Support must be collective, continuous, and culturally sensitive.

“According to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, only 29 per cent of Nigerian infants under six months are exclusively breastfed.

“That is well below the global target of 50 per cent by 2025 set by the World Health Organisation (WHO), ” she said.

She said that mothers were more likely to initiate and sustain breastfeeding when they receive early guidance from health workers, encouragement from family members, and practical support from employers.
She said that support from employers included flexible work hours and breastfeeding spaces.

Ms Adeleye also pointed to the success of mother support groups in rural areas, particularly in Benue and Kaduna States.

According to her, through such groups, community-driven initiatives have raised exclusive breastfeeding rates through peer counselling and household visits.

She urged the government to fully enforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, while promoting baby-friendly hospital initiatives across the country.

“Nigeria must invest in supportive systems that protect breastfeeding from being undermined by commercial interests and social pressures,” she said.

She further called on policymakers to prioritise paid maternity leave and breastfeeding-friendly workplace policies, warning that the lack of structural support continues to put both mothers and babies at risk.

She stressed the need for workplace-friendly breastfeeding policies in Nigeria. In alignment with this year’s World Breastfeeding Week theme.
“Making breastfeeding at work, work, makes societies work.

Expert Reveals How Community Support Crucial To Improved Breastfeeding

Expert Reveals How Community Support Crucial To Improved Breastfeeding

“Breastfeeding provides vital health and nutritional benefits for children with positive lifelong impacts, building healthier populations and workforces for the future,” she said.

She said that women should not have to choose between breastfeeding their children and keeping their jobs, as support is possible regardless of workplace, sector or contract type.

“Effective maternity protections improve children’s and women’s health and increase breastfeeding rates.

“Today, more than half a billion working women globally lack access to vital maternity provisions. Many more face limited or no support when they return to work,” she said.

Ms Adeleye recommended that all women, regardless of the nature of their work, should have at least 18 weeks, and preferably more than six months, of paid maternity leave.

She also advocated for paid time off to breastfeed or express milk after returning to work, along with flexible return-to-work options.

She called policymakers to strengthen existing labour laws and health sector policies to ensure that both formal and informal sector workers receive adequate breastfeeding support.

“Without such provisions, national efforts to improve maternal and child health may continue to fall short,” she said.

Economy

Okpebholo Threatening Me With Violence, I’ll Fight Back Says Obaseki

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Obaseki

Okpebholo Threatening Me With Violence, I’ll Fight Back Says Obaseki

Okpebholo threatening me with violence, I’ll fight back says Obaseki. Godwin Obaseki, the immediate past governor of Edo, has accused Monday Okpebholo, his successor, of threatening him with violence. Obaseki spoke during the weekend at an event in London, the United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND
Since assuming office in November 2024, Okpebholo has initiated a series of actions aimed at scrutinising Obaseki’s tenure.

He first constituted a 14-member committee to investigate the assets, liabilities, contracts, and financial decisions made under Obaseki.

Okpebholo then expanded the scrutiny to the state civil service, ordering a probe into all recruitments conducted between May and November 2024, alleging a violation of due process.

Last week, Okpebholo asked the federal government to repatriate Obaseki to answer questions over public funds linked to the controversial Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) project.

‘OKPEBHOLO THREATENING ME’

Obaseki said the governor is threatening him with violence and allegedly sent thugs to attack him in the UK.

“Those who live by the sword will die by the sword,” Obaseki said. “And to tell the governor, Okpebholo, I don’t know him; I have never met him. When you start with violence, you will reap violence.

“For one year since I left office, I didn’t say one word. I decided to respect myself and allow them to try [in governance] as well. Go and find out, you won’t see one thing I said about his government.”

He accused Okpebholo’s government of being behind the attack on diplomats during the exhibition in MOWAA.

“As if that was not enough, the government paid people to come to Manchester to attack me,” he said.
“Who has started this violence? Is it me? Last week, this governor held a disgraceful press conference in which he threatened me not to come to Benin.

Obaseki

Obaseki

“They have been threatening violence. So if I respond, nobody should hold me responsible. “I can’t leave myself empty to be hurt and attacked by deranged people.

“So I am going to fight back. I will fight back. I didn’t start the fight. They are afraid. They know they did not win the election.”

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Economy

Jigawa: 9,600 Teachers Register For Special Training

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Teachers Register For Special Training

Jigawa: 9,600 Teachers Register For Special Training

Jigawa: 9,600 teachers register for special training. No fewer than 9,600 teachers under the Jigawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) registered for a competency test to determine the specific training required to improve their skills and enhance teaching outcomes in the state.

The Executive Chairman of the Board, Professor Haruna Musa, revealed this while briefing journalists on the purpose of the examination, adding that 12,000 teachers were expected to register for the exam.

He explained that the state government, under the leadership of Governor Malam Umar Namadi, was committed to repositioning the state education sector as a key foundation for sustainable development, in line with its “12-Point Agenda.”

Prof. Haruna noted that while the government has been spending significant resources to improve educational infrastructure, meaningful learning improvements cannot be achieved without also enhancing the capabilities of teachers.

“Based on that, the State Executive Council approved for the board to organise a competency test for all teachers. This will enable us to understand the kind of training each teacher requires to improve his or her skills”.

“Out of the 9,600 teachers registered for the exam, over 70% have never attended any capacity-building training since they were employed, including some with over 15 years of service,” the Chairman added.

Teachers Register For Special Training

Teachers Register For Special Training

He stated that after the exam, the teachers will be categorised into three groups: Group A, those with both knowledge and teaching skills; Group B, those with knowledge but lacking teaching skills; and Group C, those lacking both knowledge and teaching skills.

“Each group will be offered specialised training. Those in Group C will undergo intensive training and subsequent examinations for a period to ensure they are equipped with the required knowledge and skills”.
“For those with slower learning uptake, we will attach them to competent teachers within their schools for ongoing guidance and mentorship,” Prof Haruna said.

He further stated that the project is not about retrenchment, but his primary goal is to enhance teachers’ capacity for better learning outcomes within the state’s basic education sector.

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Economy

PFA: Leadway Pensure Leverages Innovations For Quality Service Delivery

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Leadway Pensure

PFA: Leadway Pensure Leverages Innovations For Quality Service Delivery

PFA: Leadway pensure leverages innovations for quality service delivery. A Pension Fund Administrator (PFA), Leadway Pensure said, it is leveraging innovation to escalate quality

service delivery to its retirement savings account (RSA) holders. This milestone marks 20 years of trust, exceptional service delivery, and value creation as it celebrates its anniversary. It highlights two decades of dedication to protecting the financial wellness of Nigerian workers.

Over the last 20 years, the PFA has served thousands of customers across Nigeria and beyond, standing as a clear testament to its commitment to providing financial stability at various stages of workers’ career journeys.

Speaking on this remarkable achievement, MD/CEO, Leadway Pensure PFA, Olusakin Labeodan, stated that: “As we celebrate 20 years of Leadway Pensure PFA, this milestone is more than a celebration of longevity, it is a tribute to trust, service and innovation.

From the very beginning, our mission has been very clear, to deliver a pension system without barriersOver two decades, we have transformed this vision into reality by simplifying pension access, embracing cutting-edge technology, and ensuring our services are always within reach. With a nationwide presence, a robust mobile platform, and the AI-powered assistant LISA, we have made pension services accessible to eligible Nigerians.

“We have supported countless customers in achieving life goals, from retirement to home ownership, by ensuring access, clarity and care at every step. This is a testament to the strong relationships and legacy we have built with every customer. Trust is at the heart of our service, propelling us to uphold world-class standards and earning us global certifications such as ISO/IEC 27001:2022 for information security, a mark of our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our customers’ funds. ”

Leadway Pensure

Leadway Pensure

Looking ahead, the company said, it is committed to promoting youth-focused financial literacy, growing personal pension plans and strengthening customer engagement across every stage of the pension journey.

“The next years and beyond will be shaped by the same dedication that brought us this far, a future-forward mindset, a culture of excellence, and an unyielding promise to stand by our customers every step of the way,” Olusakin concluded.

As it commemorates 20 years of service, Leadway Pensure reaffirms its commitment to simplifying retirement planning, delivering consistent value, and driving financial inclusion across Nigeria.

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