UNILORIN approves paternity leave for male staffers

Mansur Alfanla, the Registrar of University of Ilorin, on Monday announced that concerned male staff of the university are now to enjoy paternity leave.

Mr Alfanla who disclosed this in Ilorin while speaking with newsmen said this is contained in the newly-revised Conditions of Service for the university’s staff.

He added that the introduction of paternity leave was one of the significant changes in the university’s conditions of service.

The Registrar added that the inclusion of paternity leave aligns with contemporary workplace practices which acknowledge the importance of work-life balance.

”Paternity Leave is for serving male officers whose spouse delivers a baby. The period of the leave shall be 14 working days.

“Where the family of a male officer adopts a child under four months old, the officer will similarly enjoy Paternity Leave for a period of 14 working days,” he said.

Mr Alfanla emphasised the need for the university’s members of staff to be conversant with and adhere strictly to the revised conditions.

“They need to download and read the document from their email boxes to stay informed.”

He reminded staff of the core values of the institution, which he identified as excellence, service to the community, probity, and respect.

“They must continue to uphold these values in their day-to-day activities, especially as the university is committed to fostering a supportive and equitable work environment for all its employees,” the Registrar said.

He went on to cite the legal basis for the revision.

Mr Alfanla stated that it was in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 5 of the University of Ilorin Act CAP U7, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2010.

“By virtue of all other powers enabling it on that behalf, the Conditions of Service of Staff are issued by the Governing Council, after due consultation with Senate with effect from June 30, 2023.”

He noted that this update marks a significant change from the previous Conditions of Service, which were last revised on Nov. 21, 2014.

”The university administration’s proactive approach to adapt to evolving needs and standards is expected to positively impact the overall well-being and satisfaction of its staff,” the Registrar assured.