House Moves to Make Crèches Compulsory in Workplaces

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives at the plenary yesterday passed for second reading a bill seeking to amend the Labour Act, to make provision for the establishment of crèches in public and private workplaces for employees who are breast feeding/nursing mothers.

The proposed legislation titled: ‘A Bill for an Act to Amend the Labour Act, 1971, Cap. L1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and for related matters (HB.1438)’, is sponsored by Hon. Serguis Ogun (PDP, Edo).

Leading the debate on its general principles, Ogun said the bill, which has three clauses, seeks to amend the Principal Act so as to make provision for the establishment of crèches in public and private workplaces for employees who are breast-feeding/nursing mothers, and for other related matters.

According to him, clause one is the enactment clause; clause two is the amendment clause of the Principal Act, while clause three is the citation.

He said the extant provisions of the Labour Act, which provides for four months maternity leave for nursing mothers, may be insufficient for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for |
up to six months as recommended.

He, therefore, said the availability of crèches in workplaces would allow nursing mothers to resume work and still be able to breastfeed their babies as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The lawmaker added that the bill, when passed into law, would enhance the productivity of working class nursing mothers as well as reduce the rate of infant mortality in the country.

According to him, “This has the potential to provide stronger immunity, reduced risk of infections and resistance to childhood diseases. This will also go a long way in enhancing productivity of such employees, knowing that their children are in safe hands. While reducing the rate of low breastfeeding, it will also reduce the rate of infant mortality. It shall be the duty of every employer to provide a crèche facility within the precincts of the work place, where employees who are breast-feeding and/or nursing mothers can keep their sucking children within work hours under the watch of a nanny employed by the employer at a reasonable fee. Sule Presents N109.8bn 2022 Budget Estimate to State Assembly