Presidential candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has pledged to implement a one-week paternity leave for fathers if he wins the upcoming December elections.
During the launch of the NDC Women’s Manifesto in Kumasi on Monday, Mahama also proposed increasing maternity leave from three months to four months, giving mothers additional time to care for their infants.
He stated that this initiative aims to ensure that newborns receive proper care during their crucial early development, emphasising the significance of both parents participating in childcare.
However, he noted that this paternity leave would be restricted to legally married men, who must provide documentation to verify their marital status in order to access the benefit.
He stated, “Whereas the mother gets four months maternity leave, the father of the child will also get a paternity leave of up to a week for you, as a father to take care of the mother and the child.
“But as a man, you must provide evidence that the woman is your wife. You will enjoy that if the woman is your legally married wife.”