The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) says there is need to prioritise mental health and emotional well-being among public servants facing demanding operational challenges.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said this at the Community Trauma Awareness Campaign 2026, on Monday at the LASTMA Training Institute, Oshodi, Lagos.
The two-day intensive workshop for principal officers was organised by LASTMA in collaboration with African Trauma Care Alliance (ATCA).
The workshop had the theme “Restoring Minds and Building Trauma-Informed Communities’.
“ This workshop is designed to promote deeper understanding of traumatic stress, emotional intelligence, mental wellness and the necessity of building compassionate and psychologically responsive communities,” he said.
Bakare-Oki noted that traffic management officers were frequently exposed to emotionally distressing situations, including fatal road accidents, confrontations with motorists, environmental hazards and emergency rescue operations.
He added that the incidents necessitated sustained psychological support and trauma-informed interventions.
According to him, the workshop represents a strategic investment in human capital development, aimed at equipping officers with emotional resilience, coping mechanisms and empathetic leadership skills essential for effective service delivery.
The general manager commended the organisers and mental health advocate for initiating a timely and transformative programme capable of strengthening institutional resilience and fostering healthier interpersonal relationships within society.
The President, Jars Traumatic Stress Institute and Founder, African Trauma Care Alliance (ATCA), Prof. Akindotun Meiro, disclosed that one in every three individuals globally experienced a mental health condition during their lifetime, with trauma remaining a major contributing factor.
She explained that traumatic experiences arising from economic hardship, political instability, communal conflicts, gender-based violence, kidnapping, domestic abuse, wars and other societal disruptions continued to inflict severe psychological scars on millions worldwide.
The report states that the workshop also examined the devastating effects of untreated trauma, adding that beyond emotional distress, traumatic stress contributed significantly to chronic illnesses.
It listed such illness as cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune disorders and persistent emotional dysfunction capable of undermining productivity and social harmony.