The First Lady of Jigawa State, Hajiya Khadija Umar Namadi, has appealed to both the state government and private organizations to establish and fully equip breastfeeding rooms in workplaces to support nursing mothers in practicing exclusive breastfeeding.
Speaking during the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week celebration held in Kachi Town, Hajiya Namadi emphasized the medical and emotional importance of exclusive breastfeeding to both mother and child. She stated that it was imperative for all government ministries, agencies, and private sector offices to create conducive environments for working mothers through the provision of well-equipped breastfeeding spaces.
Represented by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Hajiya Aisha Aminu Usman, the First Lady said:
“As a woman, a mother, and your First Lady, I know from experience the joys and struggles of caring for a newborn. I remember the sleepless nights, the doubts, the fears, and the overwhelming love only a mother can feel. Breastfeeding is not just nourishment—it is life, protection, and love.”
She described breastfeeding as a bond of survival, calling it the child’s first vaccine, and a natural, affordable, and life-saving act that reduces malnutrition, childhood infections, and maternal diseases.
However, she acknowledged the many challenges mothers face, including limited awareness, lack of support, inadequate access to health services, harmful cultural beliefs, and poverty—which often forces women to choose between work and caring for their babies.
“Many of our hardworking mothers—civil servants, healthcare workers, teachers, market women—are forced to choose between keeping their jobs and nurturing their newborns. This should not be the case.”
Hajiya Usman emphasized the urgent need for functional, safe, and well-staffed crèches and breastfeeding rooms in all workplaces, including government offices, hospitals, schools, and private establishments.
“Providing breastfeeding rooms should not be seen as a privilege, but as a policy priority,” she stressed.
She called on ministries, agencies, private employers, and community leaders to support this vision, saying:
“A state that invests in mothers and children is investing in a healthier, stronger, and more prosperous future.”
“World Breastfeeding Week reminds us of the simple yet powerful act that saves lives. Let us leave here not only with celebration in our hearts, but with a commitment to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding across Jigawa State.”
Hajiya Usmanfurther noted that under Governor Malam Umar Namadi’s administration, every Primary Health Care Centre (PHC), including the one in Kachi, is equipped to support breastfeeding mothers. Community health volunteers are also trained to educate families on proper infant nutrition, especially in rural areas.
“Breastfeeding is not just a mother’s duty—it is a community responsibility,” she affirmed.
Also speaking at the event, the State Nutrition Officer, Mr. Muhammad Abdullahi, highlighted the medical and economic benefits of breastfeeding. He described exclusive breastfeeding (from birth to six months) as the most effective and affordable form of infant nutrition.
“Despite its benefits, only 29–30% of mothers in Jigawa practice exclusive breastfeeding,” he said, citing the 2023 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).
Mr. Abdullahi called on fathers, traditional rulers, and religious leaders to actively support and encourage exclusive breastfeeding by enlightening their communities about its benefits for both mental and physical development of children.