FAAN trains aviation reporters on professionalism

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has collaborated with the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS) to train aviation reporters on professionalism.

The Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, said at the training on Tuesday in Lagos that it had become imperative to train the reporters to drive effective reportage.

According to Kuku, who was represented by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, Mrs Obiageli Orah, said that personal development was necessary to propel individuals to rise to become leaders.

Kuku said that the workshop was to collaborate and partner with the reporters.

“The training is very necessary, and I say this because without education, we will not make any progress in life.

“Without continuous personal development, you will be rotten, you will be stuck, you will be stagnant; so, education is the fuel that drives every leader.

“When you talk about leadership, education is one of the key factors that propel every leader to the next level, and we are all leaders,” she said.

According to the FAAN boss, the training is coming at the right time and will go a long way to shape the careers of the participants.

“We have passengers at our airports everyday, we are to give them a good customer service.

“If we are to give them quality service, you need to have the right training, the right skills.

“You need to understand customer’s body language, customer’s eye contact, and you have to be emotionally intelligent as well,” she said.

A former Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Dr Mike Omeri, commended Kuku for her vision and drive to reposition FAAN.

Omeri said that training would position reporters to align with transitions at airports.

“How do you support this new direction? How do you support the authority in its vision and drive to reposition all the airports in Nigeria?

“We have a big role to play in this new direction as reporters,” he said.

Anthony Kila, a Director at CIAPS and Professor of Strategy and Development, said that the media was pivotal to aviation industry growth.

He said “The best way to make users aware of the sector is to go through the media so that when they consume or read articles, they become informed.”

It was reported that the workshop touched on airport operations and management, understanding stakeholders and responsibilities, aviation incident reporting, sensationalism and sensibilities, legal perspectives in aviation reporting, and media and airport partnerships.