NAF seeks proper media understanding of its activities, reportage

Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar has said that efficient and effective information management is critical to National development and a boost to national security. He also said accurate processing of information was essential as it could affect national security positively or negatively. Air Marshal Sadique said this at the weekend in his address at a one day enlightenment programme organised for Defence Correspondents by the Nigerian Air Force at its Headquarters in Abuja. The Chief of the Air Staff, whose addressed was read by the Chief of Administration, Air Vice Marshal Kingsley Lar, also said that accurate information is required to win any war including the fight against terrorists and to curb the menace of criminals in the society. He said that proper management and processing of war information for public consumption necessitated that journalists understand the terminologies associated with the defence beat to enable them report event professionally, hence the need for the enlightenment programme. Earlier in his welcome address, the Director of Public Relations and Information Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola had noted some level of improvement in the reportage of the Nigerian Air Force activities in the ongoing counterinsurgency operations and other monumental achievements of the current NAF leadership. He observed, however, that there are still some gaps in the manner the news on NAF are being reported and disseminated, omitting the right terminologies. Daramola said that continued interface between the Directorate of Public Relations and Information and the journalists could further improve existing relationship and provide a platform for better professional performance. According to him, “Public Relations practice has moved from merely informing the public to actively engaging them. Accordingly, the Nigerian Air Force relies on the entire spectrum of the media, including the traditional and new media, for information dissemination. Social media of course has the advantage of providing avenues for real time engagement of the public. “Hence, we have endeavoured to sustain public engagement through social media and will continue to do so in the future. Moreover, Public Relations is also now more about creating value in order to generate awareness rather than creating awareness to generate value,” he added. Air Commodore said that notwithstanding the difficulties being experienced in the fight against terrorists in the country, NAF leadership had achieved some milestone in capacity building, research and development. He said that NAF is collaborating with 14 universities and over six other institutions in all aspects of aircraft development and it has already 19 PhD holders in aeronautic designs. Andrew Orolua, Abuja