By Austin Oyibode, Asaba
The Nigeria army on Wednesday said it chose Asaba for 2024 first quarterly media chat to enable media executives and other practitioners from Asaba and environs to actively take part in the event usually organised quarterly by the army.
The event with the theme “Imperatives of military – media partnership for the attainment of national security” had top military brass, senior media executives, Delta state commissioner for information, Ifeanyi Michael Osuoza, other sister security agencies and others in attendance.
Speaking at the event, Major General Nosakhare Ugbo, while presenting welcome address, said the event is aimed at inspiring members of the media from the Niger Delta region to continue to support and positively portray the army through constructive and objective reportage.
Major General Nosakhare also said the partnership between the media and the army is designed to disseminate activities of the Nigeria army to the general public, thereby fostering mutual understanding with the media.
He re-emphasised the role of the media in shaping public perception on the Nigerian army, saying the ability to effectively communicate its missions and actions to the public is essential in garnering support and trust.
Major General Ugbo noted that through collaboration with the media, the Nigeria army ensures that accurate and balanced information reaches the public, thereby dispelling misinformation and rumours that could sow public distrust.
He added that the military-media partnership plays a crucial role in national security, noting that the military has a responsibility to engage with the media by providing access to information without compromising operational security and sensitive intelligence.
According to him, military – media partnership is a necessity “in our increasingly complex and interconnected society”, insisting that media being a key player in shaping public perception and understanding of security challenges need to embrace responsible journalism, grounded accuracy and objectivity.
MORE TO COME…
