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By Akpan David, Calabar
Twenty-two governors’ wives who concluded their retreat in Calabar, have resolved to advocate equally in their different states the six months’ paid maternity leave for their female civil servants as implemented in Cross River State.
In their Communique releases at the end of their meeting held in Cross River State Government house Calabar, The First Ladies also resolved to sustain the fight against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), and endorse the “Reserved Seat for Women Bill,”.
In the communiqué signed by their Chairperson and First Lady of Kwara State, Ambassador (Prof.) Olufolake AbdulRazaq, they stressed importance of Nursing mothers devoting time to their new born babies and their health, which reason the six months maternity leave should be adopted by all states
The First Ladies expressed thrir commitment to advancing women’s health, gender equity, and child welfare.
They also pledged continued collaboration with donor partners, civil society groups, and health agencies to reduce maternal mortality, strengthen immunization coverage—particularly on HPV, Measles, Rubella, and Hepatitis—and end child labour through a strategic partnership with the Federal Ministry of Labour.
In a landmark resolution, the forum endorsed the 2026 RenewHER Roadmap Strategy presented by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health, aimed at improving health outcomes for women and girls nationwide.
The communiqué described the retreat as “a gathering of shared wisdom and renewed commitment,” noting that the Nigerian Governors Spouses Forum, NGSF, would sustain its role as a unifying platform for advocacy, partnership, and leadership.
“We are resolved,” the First Ladies stated collectively, “to keep standing where the cries of the weak are heard, where the hope of the woman and child is rekindled, and where the light of compassion continues to shine.”
Addressing them earlier, Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State spoke about the six months maternity leave introduced by his administration for female civil servants as a model of gender-sensitive governance, saying his administration has made significant strides in healthcare delivery and immunization coverage.
Otu lauded NGSF for what he described as their “transformative influence on the moral, social, and developmental architecture of the nation,” pledging his administration’s full support for gender inclusion and public health advocacy.
He described women as “the true backbone of national development,” saying Nigeria’s sustainable progress depended on the active participation of women in governance and community building. “No woman, no nation,” Otu declared. “It is very clear that this nation cannot move forward without women.
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