Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has announced a six-months maternity leave for female public servants.

This, he did while taking his oath of office as governor for another term.

He said the decision was informed by the need to encourage the healthy development of infants through prolonged breastfeeding, among other benefits and urged mothers to take advantage of free medical care for children up to the age of five to go for medical check-ups in public hospitals.

El-Rufai who was sworn-in alongside his deputy, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe at the Murtala Square Kaduna in a ceremony witnessed by thousands of supporters, also called on the people of the state to forgive him in advance for the painful decisions his administration will take to develop the state.

The governor lamented the security challenges in his first tenure saying much was spent on internal security operations which could have been better directed towards improving lives in peaceful communities.

The governor urged the people of the state to unite in a common endeavour to make the state peaceful, adding that he will continue to do his best to unite the state and rid communities of strife.