Naa Momo Lartey, the Ministerial nominee for Gender, Children, and Social Protection under President John Dramani Mahama, has stated her intention to support better maternity leave laws in Ghana.
She promised to work closely with civil society organizations, gender advocates, and other important stakeholders to investigate ways of extending the current three-month maternity leave period during her vetting in Parliament on Wednesday, January 22.
Naa Momo Lartey emphasized the value of extended maternity leave for the health of mothers and children in her address to the Parliamentary Appointments Committee.
She emphasized the necessity for employers to think about providing longer leave durations, like six months, as this would not only give moms enough time to recuperate but also enable them to give their babies better care.
“It is important for women to have a prolonged leave period, not only to take care of the children but also to properly heal. As an employer, I will encourage you that if you even have the opportunity to grant six months leave, please do that,” she stated.
Naa Momo Lartey also brought up the idea of giving fathers parental leave in order to give both parents enough time to spend with their newborns and divide up the caregiving duties.
