As part of sustained efforts toward enhancing personnel welfare, emotional resilience and institutional growth, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) in collaboration with African Trauma Care Alliance (ATCA) has organised a two-day intensive workshop for Principal Officers under the auspices of the Community Trauma Awareness Campaign 2026 at the LASTMA Training Institute, Oshodi.
The initiative, themed “Restoring Minds and Building Trauma-Informed Communities,” was designed to promote deeper understanding of traumatic stress, emotional intelligence, mental wellness and the necessity of building compassionate and psychologically responsive communities.
In his welcome address, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki emphasised the importance of prioritising mental health and emotional well-being particularly among public servants constantly confronted with demanding operational challenges.
He noted that traffic management officers are frequently exposed to emotionally distressing situations, including fatal road accidents, confrontations with motorists, environmental hazards and emergency rescue operations, thereby necessitating 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 further commended the organisers and mental health advocates for initiating a timely and transformative programme capable of strengthening institutional resilience and fostering healthier interpersonal relationships within society.
Speaking at the workshop, the President Jars Traumatic Stress Institute and Founder, African Trauma Care Alliance ATCA Professor Akindotun Meiro disclosed that one in every three individuals globally experiences 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 continue to inflict severe
psychological scars on millions worldwide.
The workshop also examined the devastating effects of untreated trauma, stressing that beyond emotional distress, traumatic stress contributes significantly to chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune disorders and persistent emotional dysfunction capable of undermining productivity and social harmony.
Participants were equally sensitised to the strong connection between emotional wellness and physical health with facilitators emphasising the need for accessible and quality mental healthcare services.
Organisers reiterated that the annual Traumatic Stress Awareness Walk, championed by the Jars Education Group in partnership with African Trauma Care Alliance collaborators has evolved into a global movement promoting mental wellness and supporting trauma survivors across Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Stakeholders described the campaign as a collective call to humanity, stressing that trauma remains both treatable and manageable when communities intentionally create supportive environments for healing, dialogue and emotional restoration.
The workshop concluded with renewed appeals to governments, organisations, healthcare professionals, educators and community leaders to support mental health advocacy initiatives aimed at dismantling stigma and restoring hope to individuals affected by traumatic stress.
