The Permanent Secretary, General Services Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr Abubakar Ibrahim Kana, has urged defence correspondents to give greater prominence to the successes and sacrifices of Nigerian troops while reporting the country’s security challenges.
Dr Kana, a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, made the call in Abuja when he received the leadership of the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) ahead of its annual conference scheduled for Monday at the Army Officers’ Mess 1, Asokoro.
He said journalists who accompany troops into operational theatres had witnessed the difficult conditions under which personnel operate and should reflect those experiences in their reports.
Dr Kana said coverage of military operations should capture both the losses suffered by troops and the successes recorded against terrorists, bandits and other security threats.
He commended DECAN for what he described as improved reporting of military operations, saying battlefield access had given journalists a clearer understanding of the sacrifices made by personnel.
The Permanent Secretary also commended the Armed Forces for supporting defence correspondents and facilitating their access to operational areas.
The former Defence Permanent Secretary also reflected on his three-year tenure at the Ministry of Defence, highlighting reforms and infrastructure projects initiated during his time in office.
He said his open-door policy fostered closer relationships with military personnel, civilian staff and journalists, while his experience in the ministry exposed him to the operations of the various Services and formations.
Dr Kana said he insisted that the Permanent Secretary, as accounting officer, should have access to information on government-funded operations, including peace support missions.
He also highlighted the installation of reverse osmosis machines and water dispensers across the Ministry of Defence, renovation of toilets and other facilities, improvements to the ministry’s external appearance and the creation of additional car parks.
According to him, his tenure also saw the initiation of a new hospital and expansion of the dental unit to improve healthcare services for military personnel.
Dr Kana identified the proposed harmonisation of the medical services of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force into a single Armed Forces Medical Corps as one of his major reform initiatives.
He said the proposal was designed to enable personnel to access specialised medical services across the three Services rather than being restricted to facilities operated by their respective Services.
The plan also included establishing a medical college under the Nigerian Defence Academy, with the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna, developed as a teaching hospital.
Dr Kana said the proposed system would reduce dependence on short-service medical officers by enabling the Armed Forces to train and produce doctors and other medical personnel internally.
He noted that he secured a 100 per cent increase in the quota for Armed Forces house officers as part of efforts to strengthen military healthcare capacity.
The former Permanent Secretary also disclosed plans initiated during his tenure to expand local defence manufacturing by creating greater opportunities for private-sector participation beyond Kaduna.
He said the review of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Act was intended to enable private manufacturers in other parts of the country to participate in defence production.
According to him, the initiative would also create opportunities for military personnel to work with local defence manufacturers, strengthen their technical skills and develop pathways into the industry after retirement.
Earlier, the President of DECAN, Odita Sunday, expressed condolences over the deaths of military personnel and civilians in the aircraft crash in Ondo State.
He described Dr Kana as a respected public servant who made significant contributions to defence journalism during his tenure at the Ministry of Defence, including supporting the formal registration of the association with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
Sunday disclosed that more than 100 members of the association voted for Dr Kana to become a patron of DECAN, with the honour scheduled to be formally conferred on him at the association’s annual conference.
He said the Minister of Defence had confirmed attendance at the conference, while the National Security Adviser and Service Chiefs were also expected to attend.
Dr Kana accepted the nomination and thanked the association for the recognition, promising to attend the conference.
