Worried by the increasing cases of mental health in the country, the Vice Chancellor of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Sa’adatu Hassan Liman, has called for a collaborative stakeholders’ intervention into the matter. According to the VC, this is in order to proffer solutions to the health concerns currently affecting some of the citizens. The Vice Chancellor made the call on Wednesday during the 55th Inaugural Lecture of the university, which was delivered by Prof. Emmanuel Alhassan from the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Social Sciences. According to her, “in today’s fast-paced world, mental health challenges are increasingly becoming a significant concern,” noting that “the World Health Organisation estimates that mental health disorders affect millions of people globally, resulting in substantial economic losses and social burdens.”
Prof Sa’adatu further expressed concern that in Nigeria, the situation is particularly dire with limited access to mental health and services and a lack of awareness about mental health issues. She noted that the theme of the inaugural lecture, “From Mental Health To National Wealth: Psychology As A National Development Imperative,” underscores the importance of investing in mental health as a means of promoting national development. The don stressed, “This occasion brings together experts, scholars, and stakeholders to discuss the critical issue of mental health and its impact on national development. As we reflect on the theme, we are reminded that mental health is not just a personal issue but a national imperative. “The state of our mental health affects our productivity, creativity, and overall well-being. It influences our ability to contribute to the growth and development of our nation. “As we discuss the relationship between mental health and national development, it is essential to recognise the role of psychology in promoting mental well-being.
“Psychologists play a critical role in developing evidence-based interventions, promoting mental health awareness, and advocating for policies that support mental health. “By prioritising mental health, we can unlock the potential of our citizens, improve productivity, and enhance economic growth. We can create a society that is more resilient, more compassionate, and more productive.” The Vice Chancellor further noted that in order to address issues relating to mental health, the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, had established a special student profiling committee under the chairmanship of a renowned clinical Psychologist in the Department of Psychology, Professor Andrew Zamani, with the Director, University Health Centre, as a member of the committee.
She explained that any student found with traces of substance abuse is usually recommended for appropriate counselling before the situation gets out of hand. “Finally, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to congratulate our esteemed professor on this significant milestone and express my gratitude to the Professorial Inaugural Lecture Committee for bringing this critical issue to the forefront for the second time consecutively,” she added.
In his lecture, Prof. Emmanuel Alhassan, while stating the importance of psychology as a national development imperative, urged stakeholders across the country to work towards the comprehensive implementation of Nigeria’s Mental Health Act 2023. He advocated that the country should have a 10-year psychological and mental health strategy, noting that the strategy should be integrated into the national development plans. He maintained, “Health insurance needs to incorporate psychological services. There has to be a mental health budget guarantee. We need to mandate a minimum percentage of health care and social services budgets to be allocated to mental health care.
“Psychological care should be created in all ministries, departments, and agencies. I want to urge all stakeholders to join hands and advocate that the government actually implements that policy because we need psychologists in the Ministry of Health, environment, education, defence, etc.” Thus, Prof. Alhassan further called on both the federal and state governments to ensure the inclusion of psychology and mental health in the educational curriculum in order to create enough awareness to students on issues generally relating to mental health. He urged the governments to make provision in terms of budgets for mental health, saying, “it is not just to make, but to release and ensure that the money is properly utilised. “
For our faith and religious leaders, we need to help influence the normalisation of help-seeking behaviours. We have what we call self-stigmatisation. We need to encourage people to come out of their closets and seek counselling and psychological help, just as they seek medical help. “We also need them to partner with psychologists to deliver culturally relevant community-based mental health messages and interventions. “We stand at the crossroads of opportunity and risk. We have seen the data.
The evidence is overwhelming. A nation can not prosper if its people are psychologically impoverished. “It is time for us to come together and move from mental health to mental wealth, from neglect to investment, and from silence to action,” he added. Earlier in his remark, the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences in the University, Prof. Yahaya Adadu, while welcoming all the dignitaries to the inaugural lecture, commended Prof. Alhassan for showing great concern and seeking solutions to issues relating to mental health in the country. “I made a call earlier this year in the faculty and said I want us to take the stage for inaugural lectures this year. Note that this is the third inaugural lecture we are having from the faculty. “I am grateful that they listened to me. This lecture marks the sixth in the line of inaugural lectures from the faculty of Social Sciences,” he explained.
