A 4-day ‘’Workshop on Capacity Building for Police Public Relations Officers’’ organized by the Nigeria Police Force, in conjunction with the Government of Akwa-Ibom State, kicks-off today, 17th April, 2013, at Le’ Meridien Hotel, Uyo, the capital city of Akwa-Ibom State.
The Workshop is intended to equip Police Public Relations
Officers with requisite professional skills and knowledge in effectively
managing the corporate image of the Force in the face of rising extremism,
criminality and terrorism in the country. It is expected to emphasize the need
for synergy and collaborative efforts among security agencies in the country.
The curriculum of the Workshop is strategically designed to
cover training in Media relations, Crisis Communications and Issues Management;
Media and Police Public Relations; Perception, Image and Brand management in
government agencies; and Terrorism in Democracy and Communication. Also
featuring in the intensive training workshop are topics on Public Relations in
Police and non-commercial organization, Social role of the Police in the post
9/11 era; and other relevant courses.
The training workshop which is being facilitated by PRM
Africa, a foremost Public Relations and Brand Communications firm in Nigeria,
with support from some good spirited private and public institutions, has in
attendance, the Director, Defence Information, Brig.-General Chris Olukolade
who is leading spokespersons of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and the
Nigerian Air Force. Also participating in the Workshop are the spokes person of
the Department of State Services, Mrs. Marylyn Ogar and other Public Relations
managers from the Customs, Immigration, Federal Road Safety Corps, and Nigeria
Security and Civil Defense Corps.
The participation of other security agencies is a manifestation
of the resolve of the present Police Management to strengthen inter-agency
collaboration in the fight against crime and criminality in the country.
The IGP, while addressing participants in his welcome
address, commended His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State,
Obong (Dr) Godswill Akpabio, for his magnanimity in making the Workshop a
reality. He informed that the workshop is part of his reform agenda to
strategically, reposition the Nigeria Police Force for effective performance in
the face of growing security concern in the country. He added that the
introduction of capacity building for the Public Relations Department of the
Force is aimed at deepening confidence, strengthening relationship with the
public and boosting the corporate image of the Nigeria Police; noting that the
success of the Police and other security agencies in the fight against crime,
depends largely, on the support, cooperation and partnership enjoyed from the
public. The IGP advised participants to maximally exploit the advantage of the
workshop for the benefit of their respective agencies and the nation at large.
On his part, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, who was
represented by the Deputy Governor of the State, Her Honor NOBLE LADY VALERIE
EBE, Deputy Governor of Akwa-Ibom State commended the Nigeria Police for their
commitment to the security of the country and for organizing the Training
Workshop which no doubt will have a positive impact on the efficiency of its
services, that of other security agencies and the country at large.
The IGP used the forum to assure Nigerians of the
determination of the Force to perform its constitutional and statutory
responsibilities without fear or favor, reminding the public of their civic
responsibility of providing useful information to the Police and other security
agencies.
