A call has gone to Internal Auditor employees of the Lagos State Government to pay adequate attention to their mental health in order to remain productive at their duty posts and contribute their quota to the Greater Lagos vision of the present administration.
The Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Central Internal Audit (CIA), Mr. Abayomi Oluyomi, made the call on Wednesday during a Mental Wellness Workshop organised by the Office of Internal Audit for all internal auditor personnel.
The workshop, according to the Special Adviser, was premised on the belief that if Auditors are mentally alert, their mandate of providing assurance to investors on the effective handling of funds and serving as gate-keepers for financial expenses and investments would be carried out effortlessly, efficiently and effectively.
Oluyomi noted that the workshop is pertinent for Auditors in particular, as well as other members of staff, to gain insight into requirements for work-life balance and mental wellness for increased productivity.
He emphasised that the present administration is concerned about the physical and mental status of the workforce, the same way the State government is interested in their career advancement.
The Special Adviser, therefore, advised participants at the event to explore the opportunities provided by the Lagos State Employee Wellness Centre (LASWELL) located on the first floor of the Folarin Coker Clinic within the State Secretariat at Alausa, Ikeja, by seeking early interventions from certified wellness professionals rather than dying in silence.
He said that the participants should not only learn to break the culture of silence by seeking help from the appropriate quarters on time, but they should also extend the message to other public servants who might need counselling and professional assistance on mental health-related issues.
Speaking on the theme for the workshop “Improvement of Work Ethics through Employee Wellness Programme”‘, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Central Internal Audit (CIA), Mrs. Olusola Oduguwa, justified the establishment of the Lagos State Employee Wellness Centre by the State Government.
She said that the initiative was in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S. Agenda of the present administration on Health and Environment to ensure that the entire workforce remains valuable, stay mentally and physically healthy while discharging their duties.
Mrs. Oduguwa stated that the workshop is essentially to create awareness amongst members of staff on their mental health and to show how much the government cares about their mental health.
In her words, “This event is a pointer to the fact that the State government is committed to the well-being of every officer, not oblivious of the challenges being faced, especially in this pandemic era, and desires a healthy workforce that can significantly contribute to the realisation of the 21st century economy”.
Some of the topics examined at the event include the ‘Introduction to Wellness’ delivered by Mrs. Bolanle Idowu; ‘Striking a Balance Between Work Ethics and Mental Health’ by Mrs. Victoria Ayo-Daniels; ‘Psycho-Social Aspect of Mental Health’ by Mrs. Bolanle Idowu and Dr. Abiodun Adejoke, Psychiatrist Consultant, Lagos State Wellness Centre.
