ABUJA- The National President, Police Officers Wives Association (POWA), Mrs. Elizabeth Egbetokun, says the mental health of female police officers is key to effective service delivery.
Egbetokun, wife of the Inspector-General of Police, stated this when a group, Initiative for Mental Health and Peace Sustenance, honoured her with an award in recognition of her visionionary leadership on Thursday in Abuja.
Egbetokun said POWA was focused on sensitising female officers, especially widows and the less privileged to take their mental health seriously.
“At least we are trying to help women to sensitise them on so many things, people that have issues we get experts to talk to them, we make sure they are okay by trying to empower them.
“This is because most of them when their husbands die, is like the society abandoned them. We in POWA, we try to reach out to them to encourage them, to help the widows and their children because most of them are out of school,” she said.
While expressing gratitude to the group, Egbetokun said the award would spur her to do better.
“Im so grateful. For a notable group like this, Initiative for Mental Health and Peace Sustenance recognised me by giving me this award, I’m sure it’s because of the work we are doing as POWA.
“I appreciate this award. It means a lot to me to be recognised in this way.
“POWA is a non profit and Non-Governmental Organisation, which has the basic objective of adding value and improving the lives of its members and police families nationwide,” said Egbetokun.
Earlier, Dr Samantha Simeon, President/Founder, Initiative for Mental Health and Peace Sustenance, said that every person had the right to live safe.
“Nigeria has had a long history of insecurity and one of the underlying causes of insecurity in our country is mental health deterioration.
“If you look at our country, you will be able to relate that poverty is one of the major causes of mental health deterioration,” said Simeon.
She, however, said police officers’ wives had a role to play not just for their families but for the society at large.
“I urge the Nigerian government to ensure that all women, particularly the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property.
“The government has the major role to lead because the government controls all the tools of cohesion to establish justice and ensure domestic tranquility,” she said.
Simeon further said the initiative was a non-profit mental health organisation aimed at promoting mental wellness and providing
support to individuals struggling with mental health issues.
“Our organisation is committed to reducing the stigma associated with
mental illness and ensuring that everyone has access to quality mental health care,” she said. (NAN)
