The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has passed a new bill establishing a Mental Health Services Department, aimed at regulating and improving mental healthcare delivery across the state. The legislation replaces the outdated Lunacy Law of 1916.
The bill successfully passed its third reading during a plenary session at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Chamber, Government House, Uyo. It follows detailed scrutiny by the House Committee on Health, led by Chairman Moses Essien, and a public hearing held on March 23, 2026.
The law provides a coordinated framework for mental health services, safeguards the rights of individuals with intellectual, psychosocial, and cognitive disabilities, and improves access to quality care, rehabilitation, and community-based treatment. It also includes provisions for obtaining consent for treatment and grants the Commissioner for Health the authority to formulate regulations governing mental health services in the state.
After a clause-by-clause review in a Committee of the Whole, the bill was adopted and passed through its third reading. Speaker Udeme Otong directed the Clerk of the House, Mrs. Nsiakak Orok, to transmit the resolution to the state governor for assent.
Committee Chairman Essien hailed the legislation as a turning point for mental healthcare, describing it as a move toward a more humane, structured, and rights-based approach in Akwa Ibom State.
Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, enabling individuals to cope with stress, realise their potential, learn, work, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
