Umudike (Abia State): The Association of Professional Counsellors in Nigeria (APROCON) has called on governments at all levels to establish functional and well-equipped counselling centres in schools nationwide, emphasising the urgent need for professional mental health support within the education system.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of APROCON’s 9th Annual International Conference held at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), the association’s president, Professor Osorochi Obi, stressed the importance of robust theoretical and practical training for counselling students to ensure they are adequately prepared for professional practice.
The five-day conference, themed “Counselling and Conflict Resolution,” marks APROCON’s first international gathering. Prof. Obi highlighted the role of effective conflict resolution in fostering national unity, noting that the event would explore transformative counselling approaches, including mediation, arbitration, and alternative dispute resolution methods.
“As we enter the age of Artificial Intelligence, counsellors must adapt and ensure technology enhances rather than replaces our mission,” Obi said, urging members to embrace innovation while maintaining the human-centred essence of counselling.
She also revealed ongoing efforts to secure the passage of the APROCON Bill, which aims to establish a regulatory framework for the profession, set standards, and legalise private counselling practice across Nigeria.
Declaring the conference open, MOUAU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Maduebibisi Iwe, challenged APROCON to spearhead the development of a national framework for preventive counselling and conflict transformation. He advocated for strategies that are inclusive, data-driven, community-rooted, and policy-relevant.
“You have the tools. You have the training. You have the mandate. What remains is the collective will to scale your expertise from the counselling room to the policy room,” Iwe said.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Okey Nworgu, Regional Representative of the Institute of Global Peace and Conflict Management, Abuja, urged APROCON to extend its services beyond the school environment. He called for evidence-based counselling practices, noting that the current socio-economic climate in Nigeria makes mental health support essential for all citizens.
The opening ceremony featured paper presentations, cultural displays, goodwill messages, and the conferment of awards on distinguished members and stakeholders.