Senate urges FG to tackle poverty as suicide rate increases

By Tunde Opalana, Abuja

As cases of suicide is on the increase in Nigeria, the Senate having identified economic depression and induced poverty as major causes of suicide in the country has urged the federal government to increase the funding of social security programmes.

The Senate agreed to engage the executive arm of government on the need to expand the scope and content of the Special Intervention Programmes of government, and to leverage on extant schemes like the N -Power in creating economic opportunities for the vulnerable sections of the population.

Also, the Senate as a means of controlling the effects of stress and depression, called for the establishment of trauma centres across the country as well as tasking the Federal Ministry of Information, the National Orientation Agency and Federal Ministry of Health to create awareness on how to tame the scourge.

It therefore, urged the government to ban the production, importation or circulation of sniper insecticide, a product currently used to commit suicide.

The senators further added that the National Universities Commission (NUC) should review the school curriculum to come up with compulsory courses that will enable students place value on their lives and detest from committing suicide.

These resolutions followed a motion on the “Rising incidence of suicides amongst Nigerians” sponsored by Senator Theodore Orji (Abia Central) and 15 others at plenary on Tuesday.

The Senate expressed grave concern about the rising cases of suicides, particularly among young Nigerians in recent times and that a significant number of people with suicidal intentions keep their thoughts and feelings secret, and show no sign that anything is wrong if they don’t have anyone to confide in.

Leading the debate, Sen. Orji noted that “an idea can occur when someone feels depressed or stressed without assistance or advise from close friends, religious institutions, the government or any relevant institution, thereby giving them room to feel that they are no longer important in the society

“And when they are not able to cope with the overwhelming situation of life which could be financial problems, death of loved ones and even broken relationships which is very popular amongst the youth in Nigeria or serious illness, they choose suicide as an option.

“Suicide can be prevented particularly, when family, friends and close relatives of the person contemplating suicide provide support, either by way of encouragement, listening to them and keeping them safe by staying around them, removing means of committing suicide such as knives, ropes, dangerous drugs and chemicals especially sniper.”

The Senate sais it is worried that the number of Nigerians taking their lives has assumed frightening dimensions of late while the government, religious institutions and other corporate bodies have not addressed the ugly situation in the country, expressing worry that the situation may continue if not properly addressed.

Many senators who contributed to the debate blamed increased stress and depression on the economic downturn in the country which has pauperized several million of Nigerians.

Senators Adenrele Oriolowo (Osun Central), Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti/APC), Dino Melaye (Kogi West) and Rochas Okorocha (Imo West) among others lamented the dangerous dimension of poverty ravaging the country, insisting that government at different levels have not done enough to address poverty