News

Unemployment, Others Root Cause Of Mental Health — Don

Published

2 years ago

June 3, 2023

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

Olawunmi made this assertion 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, as well as 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, and parents have abandoned their domestic responsibilities to 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 mind 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 challenges, it would develop concept notes for people to support it.

Oji disclosed that 72 per cent of the country’s population was under the threat of mental health challenges, 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 the direct investment that could enable somebody from Kano or Lagos to invest in the Niger Delta region,” he said.

Commenting, Amb. Bolowei Ogoba, one of the men behind the creation of the NGO, said that his team 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 about 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 people.

News

Lagos Suspends BRT Lane Enforcement On Eko Bridge, Odo Iya-Alaro

Published

12 hours ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government has temporarily suspended enforcement of the Bus Rapid Transit lane along the Eko Bridge and Odo Iya-Alaro corridor to ease growing traffic congestion.

This gridlock is a result of the ongoing structural rehabilitation on the Ogudu-Ifako Bridge expansion joint.

Special Adviser to the Lagos Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa announced the suspension on Wednesday, describing it as a strategic move to tackle gridlock in affected parts of the city.

“This remedial measure, conceived as a palliative response to mitigate commuter hardship, aligns with the Lagos State Government’s forward-thinking and adaptive transportation strategy under the THEMES Plus Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, particularly within the framework of sustainable traffic management and infrastructure modernisation,” Giwa said.

He explained that the temporary suspension is a transitional and conditional measure aimed at absorbing the anticipated vehicular overflow caused by the partial closure of the Ifako-bound carriageway of the Third Mainland corridor.

“We are fully cognizant of the immense strain currently imposed on key ingress routes into the Lagos Mainland. Consequently, this tactical suspension of BRT lane enforcement is a calculated response designed to deliver immediate relief, reduce commuting time, and preserve the fluidity of vehicular movement throughout the duration of the bridge repairs,” he added.

According to him, the directive takes immediate effect and allows general vehicular access to previously restricted BRT corridors on Eko Bridge and Odo Iya-Alaro, particularly during peak travel periods.

He said this move is expected to expand available road capacity and ease traffic along critical routes.

Giwa, however, stressed that commercial buses and articulated vehicles must remain in compliance with existing safety rules and loading guidelines to avoid worsening traffic conditions or compromising public safety.

He also disclosed that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has been mobilised to strengthen its presence along the affected corridors.

“Enhanced personnel deployment and traffic equipment are now in place to ensure orderly conduct, prevent exploitation of the temporary suspension, and respond promptly to any emergent traffic disturbances,” Giwa stated.

News

Lagos Opens Teacher Recruitment Portal For Two Weeks

Published

12 hours ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government has announced the reactivation of its teaching job recruitment portal to allow qualified individuals to apply for entry-level teaching positions.

In a notice issued by the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission on Tuesday, the portal will be open for applications from Tuesday, July 1 to Monday, July 14, 2025.

“The Lagos State Teaching Service Commission is set to reactivate its Recruitment Portal as a bold step towards improving access to employment opportunities, equity, and fairness.

“The job portal, which will be accessible for two weeks (Tuesday, July 1st 2025, to Monday, July 14th, 2025), is intended to provide a centralised platform where individuals can apply for State Teaching jobs at the entry level (GL 08) in their relevant fields,” the notice read.

The move, according to the Commission, is aimed at improving access to employment opportunities in the education sector while ensuring equity and fairness.

TESCOM urged interested applicants with a degree in Education or other relevant qualifications to visit the official portal https://tescomjobs.lagosstate.gov.ng and apply for teaching roles at Grade Level 08.

The notice was signed by the Chairman of the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission.

News

FG Unveils N50m Grant To Boost Student Innovation, Entrepreneurship

Published

12 hours ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced a N50m Student Grant Venture Capital Initiative to support scaling student-led enterprises in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

Alausa said the initiative aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry by turning homegrown research into commercially viable products and services.

The minister made the announcement on Wednesday in Abuja when he inaugurated the Research and Innovation Commercialisation Committee.

He said the scheme, which will be anchored by TETFund in partnership with the Bank of India, targets undergraduate students in 300-level and above with viable business models and innovations ready for market expansion.

According to the minister, the development is aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of transitioning Nigeria from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-driven one.

“We have hundreds of thousands of young geniuses across our institutions. This fund is designed to unlock their potential and help them build globally competitive enterprises,” the minister said.

On her part, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described the inauguration as a landmark moment in Nigeria’s education and innovation history.

“For too long, research in our tertiary institutions has been reduced to tools for promotion rather than solutions for development. This must change,” she said.

In his response, the Committee Chairman, Dr. Tayo Aduloju, described the RICC as “a matter of national urgency”, noting that Nigeria’s research investment as a percentage of GDP is among the lowest when compared to peer nations.