Capacity building: NAF to partner African Public Relations Association

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it is ready to partner with the African Public Relations Association (APRA) in the training of its personnel on effective public relations and information management.

A statement by the NAF spokesman, AVM Olatokunbo Adesanya, said the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, disclosed this when APRA President, Mr Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, visited him in Abuja.

Abubakar said that NAF was aware of the critical role information played in successful modern military operations, hence it placed particular emphasis on accurate and timely dissemination of information.

He, therefore, said that there was the need to further build the capacity of NAF’s personnel on information dissemination and also expose non-PR officers to appropriate training.

The CAS said that this would enable them to perform their various roles more effectively.

He said the service would leverage on the training opportunity offered by APRA to develop the capacity of its personnel for enhanced professional performance and lauded the association for positively projecting Africa’s image.

The president said the association was established to foster unity through interaction and exchange of ideas amongst public relations practitioners in Africa as a whole.

He said APRA was strongly committed to selling ‘Positive Africa’ through the instrumentality of the PR profession.

Badejo-Okusanya said APRA was glad that the NAF had made giant strides in the fight against the Boko Haram terrorists and other security threats.

He also commended the service for deploying various PR tools in disseminating information on its operations to the public.

He said that this had further doused tension in the country and greatly contributed to the level of awareness and education of the public on the roles of NAF and other security agencies.