The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has promised to extend maternity leaves from the current duration of 3 months to 4 months, as well as introduce one week of paternity leave should they be voted into office come December 2020.

Speaking at the party’s 2020 Manifesto launch, Running Mate, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang was of the view that the current duration of 3 months of maternity leave was inadequate for professional mothers to adequately care and feed their newborn babies.

“Three months certainly is not enough for that. Women often have to rely on their annual leave to supplement their maternity leave and any mother will tell you that that means a whole year’s work with no time off,” she stated.

To remedy this situation, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said “we will extend maternity leave from 3 to 4 months and we will also offer 7 days of paternity leave” to provide professional mothers adequate time to care for the needs of their babies.

She also added that the future NDC government as part of their investment into early childhood development will also look at ensuring daycare centres for children are established at formal workplaces.

This she said will be most beneficial for young families who cannot afford childcare or have no one to support them through the early stages of childcare.

“When young families cannot afford childcare or have no one to lean on for support, it is the women whose careers and aspirations suffer the consequences.

"So as part of our plans to invest in early childhood development, we will work to ensure that crèches, daycare centres, and nurseries for children are established in formal workplaces, for example, the ministries complex, and let’s say our markets too,” she said.