The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has attributed the many cases of suicide and mental health issues in the country to the worsening economic situation under the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The former Governor of Anambra State, who bared his mind while commemorating this year’s World Mental Health Day on Thursday, lamented that many suicide cases in the country today were fuelled by anxiety and depression due to the hardship being experienced by many Nigerians who had lost hope.

In his message, Obi noted that mental health remained one of the critical health issues not given the due attention it deserved in Nigeria.

“Today, I join the Global Community in commemorating World Mental Health Day, on which we raise awareness of mental health issues while encouraging concerted efforts to support those experiencing mental health issues in our nation,” he wrote.

“Though not often well talked about, mental health remains a very critical component of our health sector, which if not given due attention, greatly impacts negatively on our productivity as a nation.

“A healthy nation, they say, is a wealthy nation. I dare say, a mentally healthy nation, is a more productive nation.

“In Nigeria, mental health remains one of the critical health issues not given the due attention it deserves.

“The worsening economic situation resulting from hunger, poverty, and income inequalities in the country, coupled with other socio-political issues affecting the nation, have continued to fuel a growing menace of mental health cases.

“The National Institute of Health reports that about 40 to 60 million Nigerians suffer various forms of mental ailment. This translates to about 1 in every 5 Nigerians, battling with mental health issues.

“Suicide cases in the country, fueled by anxiety and depression, have remained on the increase. It is reported that Nigeria has one of the highest rates of suicide and depression in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The current rate of suicide in Nigeria is 9.50% out of 100,000 people. Drug abuse is also another contributor to mental health decadence in our society.

“Nigeria is also ranked 3rd most stressful country in the world, which contributes to different mental illnesses in the nation.

“The above grim statistics reflect the lack of attention given to mental health, a critical contributor to national development in our society. A nation that truly wants to improve its productive capacity must pay attention to the health of its citizens.”

“We are also reminded as a people to always seek medical attention when faced with any mental health challenge and to show love and support to our people who are already contending with the challenge.

“We remain committed to building a New Nigeria where everyone’s well-being will be prioritized. A New Nigeria is POssible.”