Unemployment, others root cause of poor mental health - Don

Dr Olakunle Olawunmi, Head, Department of International Relations and Diplomacy, Chrisland University, Abeokuta in Ogun, has attributed the root causes of poor mental health to unemployment, among others.

Olawunmi made this assertions on Saturday in Abuja at the unveiling of an NGO, Initiative for Mental Health and Peace Sustenance (IMHPS) and its logo, adding that the aim was to promote mental wellness.

The expert also identified limited access to quality care, infrastructure deficit, insecurity and lack of access to finance were some other causes of mental health in the country.

He called on the government to address the identified causes and strengthen the system, and as well ensure gender equality in all its system.

“The decadence of drug abuse among our youths is an issue of concern; the home is now malfunctioning, parents have abandoned their domestic responsibilities on their children.

“Mental health is an ability to cope with stress, part of the strategies to ameliorate this is for governance to be strengthened, and as well ensure gender equality in the system,” he said.

Also, Dr Ejike Oji, the Senior Special Assistant to the immediate past FCT Minister, Malam Mohammed Bello, called on the government to take “a holistic look at the root causes of mental before taking steps to address it”.

Oji said that government should build more hospitals to take care of people who were already derailed as a result of mental health.

He said that since IMHPS had taken a move to champion the cause of instigating government to address mental health challenge, it would develop concept note for people to support it.

Oji disclosed that 72 per cent of the country populations was under the threat of mental health challenge, adding, a lot of quality things must be put in place to achieve mental wellness in the country.

“The direct effect of mental health, especially in the Niger Delta Region, is a vicious cycle; the young people are already reacting to it negatively by blowing up the oil pipelines, kidnapping and other vices.

“The reaction of youths has led to a bigger problem. The only way the country can overcome this is to make itself responsive to direct investment that could enable somebody from Kano or Lagos to invest in Niger Delta region,” he said.

Commenting, Amb. Bolowei Ogoba, one of the men behind the creation of the NGO, said that his team and himself would continue to create more awareness about IMHPS.

Ogoba, who was given an AU Agenda 2063 Ambassadorial Assembly Award, said that Nigerians must stop using negative words on the country and its citizens.

According to him, Nigerians must start to uphold the right words to change the story of the country.

Ogoba said that the Ambassadorial Award given to him was a privilege, adding it is for him to actually impact more on people.