Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Ms Patience Key, has known as on the National Assembly to prioritise compassionate psychological well being reforms, financial aid, and public-interest coverage supply.
Key, who’s working alongside YPP Presidential Candidate, Dr Peter Agada, mentioned in Abuja that she urged the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, to recognise that defending Nigerians entails addressing the socio-economic situations pushing residents into misery, reasonably than criminalising tried suicide.
She disagreed with Akpabio’s place throughout current legislative debates that tried suicide ought to stay a legal offence underneath Nigerian legislation.
She mentioned criminalisation may make distressed folks and their households afraid to hunt help due to prosecution and stigma.
“Protecting Nigerians requires greater than debating what punishment ought to comply with a suicide try.
“It requires confronting the circumstances that can leave people overwhelmed, economically stranded and unable to obtain the support they need,” she mentioned.
Key famous that extreme monetary hardship, lack of livelihoods, displacement, isolation, and sudden homelessness contribute considerably to psychological misery.
“Severe monetary hardship, lack of livelihoods, violence, displacement and isolation can contribute to profound psychological misery and suicidal crises.
“The World Health Organization recognises monetary issues, loss and different troublesome life circumstances among the many elements related to suicidal behaviour.
“These are not reasons to stigmatise people. They are reasons to strengthen prevention, treatment and social protection,” she mentioned.
Key mentioned that eradicating punishment was not an endorsement of suicide; it was a choice to make safety, remedy and restoration the precedence.
The YPP vice-presidential candidate additionally criticised what she described as extended delays and limitless debates on key public-interest points, together with diaspora voting rights and the rehabilitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex.
She questioned why parliamentary consideration may simply be mobilised for political discussions in regards to the future whereas vital legislative, financial, and welfare reforms transfer at a sluggish tempo.
Key famous the constitutional modification invoice on diaspora voting, which handed second studying within the House of Representatives in November 2024, saying that diaspora advocates are nonetheless pleading for passage practically two years later.
She cited the repeated timelines given for the revival of the Ajaokuta Steel venture, stressing that residents deserve credible govt motion, transparency, and clear accountability reasonably than unfulfilled commitments.
Key urged the National Assembly to utilise its legislative, budgetary, and oversight mandates to fund accessible psychological well being providers, sustainable employment packages, enterprise improvement, and housing safeguards.
“Mental well being reform needs to be accompanied by funding for accessible providers, disaster response and persevering with care.
“Employment interventions ought to join folks to sustainable livelihoods.
“Enterprise programmes ought to assist viable companies overcome sensible boundaries to progress.
“Housing and planning decisions should respect the dignity of families and provide appropriate safeguards where displacement is contemplated,” she mentioned.
She recommended Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong and different lawmakers for advancing a invoice to decriminalise tried suicide and strengthen psychological well being assist.
Key additionally suggested authorities to not ignore the circumstances that deepen despair after which method the individual in disaster primarily as an offender.
“This doesn’t imply that hardship inevitably results in suicidal ideas, or that each suicide try will be attributed to authorities coverage.
“Suicide is complicated, and people’ circumstances differ. But that complexity is an argument for a complete response — not an excuse to miss financial and social pressures.
“People experiencing mental health difficulties are not weak, morally deficient or undeserving of dignity,” she mentioned.
She, nevertheless, suggested residents to hunt psychological well being care, saying searching for psychological well being care is an indication of power and that particular person price will not be outlined by short-term financial or emotional adversity.
She additionally urged the citizens to take part peacefully within the upcoming 2027 basic elections and completely consider candidates throughout all political platforms primarily based on efficiency, integrity, and safety of human dignity.
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