The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), in collaboration with Professor Akindotun Meiro, Founder of the African Trauma Care Alliance (ATCA), has organised a two-day Trauma-Informed Care Workshop for Principal Officers at the LASTMA Training Institute in Oshodi as part of activities commemorating the 2026 International Mental Health Awareness Month.
The workshop, themed “Restoring Minds and Building Trauma-Informed Communities,” was designed to deepen participants’ understanding of traumatic stress, emotional intelligence, psychological wellness and the importance of building compassionate, emotionally responsive and trauma-sensitive institutions.
Speaking during the opening session, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, stressed the growing need for mental health awareness and emotional well-being among public officers working in demanding and high-risk environments.
According to him, personnel of the Agency are regularly exposed to psychologically distressing situations, including fatal road accidents, confrontations with aggressive motorists, environmental hazards and emergency rescue operations, making trauma-informed support systems essential.
He explained that the workshop was part of deliberate efforts by the Agency to invest in human capital development by equipping officers with emotional resilience, adaptive coping mechanisms and empathetic leadership skills necessary for effective service delivery and improved workplace productivity.
Bakare-Oki also commended Professor Akindotun Meiro, mental health professionals and advocacy groups for championing what he described as a timely and transformative initiative aimed at strengthening institutional resilience and promoting healthier relationships within society.
Delivering a keynote lecture at the workshop, the President of the Jars Traumatic Stress Institute and Founder of ATCA, Professor Akindotun Meiro, revealed that nearly one out of every three people globally experiences a mental health condition during their lifetime, with trauma remaining one of the leading causes.
She noted that traumatic experiences arising from economic hardship, political instability, communal conflicts, gender-based violence, kidnapping, domestic abuse and armed conflicts continue to inflict deep psychological and emotional wounds on millions of people worldwide.
Professor Meiro further highlighted the severe consequences of untreated trauma, explaining that beyond emotional distress, traumatic stress contributes significantly to chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune disorders and prolonged emotional dysfunction capable of affecting societal productivity and harmony.
Participants at the workshop were also educated on the strong connection between emotional wellness and physical health, while facilitators emphasised the need for accessible, inclusive and quality mental healthcare services across workplaces and communities.
The trauma expert further disclosed that the annual Traumatic Stress Awareness Walk, championed by the Jars Education Group in partnership with the African Trauma Care Alliance and other international organisations, has grown into a global advocacy movement supporting trauma survivors and promoting mental wellness across Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Officers who participated in the programme described the initiative as a timely intervention and a powerful call to humanity, affirming that trauma can be treated and managed when societies intentionally create safe, supportive and healing environments.
The workshop ended with renewed calls on governments, organisations, healthcare professionals, educators and community leaders to intensify mental health advocacy campaigns aimed at dismantling stigma, promoting emotional recovery and restoring hope to victims of traumatic stress.
Adebayo Taofiq
Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA
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