DSS gets substantive spokesman at last

THE Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday announced the appointment Mr PN Afunanya as its Spokesman and Public Relations Officer with an immediate ‎ effect.

This was contained in a statement made available to news men in Abuja yesterday by the Public Relations Department of the Service .

The last occupant of the office was Mrs Maryln Ogar who was removed by the sacked Director General of the Service, Mr Lawal Daura in 2015 immediately on assumption of office and the Service had been operating without a known except one Tony Opuiyo who normally issued out Statements on its behalf.

On the assumption of office last week, the Acting Director General of the Agency, Mr Mathew Seiyefa ‎assured newsmen that the issue of the appointment of substantive spokesman for the Service was expressly being addressed as part of efforts to correct perspectives of the members of the Public against the Agency.

The new spokesperson, Mr Afunanya, according to the Statement, attended the Abia State University Uturu and the University of Uyo where he obtained Bachelor of Arts English (1997) and Master of Arts English (2009) respectively.

He also holds Master of Arts Peace and Strategic Studies (2011) from the University of Ilorin and is currently pursuing a PhD in Security and Strategic Studies at the Nasarawa State University Keffi.

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Afunanya attended several courses within and outside Nigeria namely: innovation and strategy at Harvard University Boston USA and Security Management and Coordination London, investigative journalism at City University London.

Other courses he had also attended are on leadership, arbitration, conflict resolution, negotiation and public communication. He is currently the Editor in Chief of the DSS in-house Magazine the Tripple S.

The new DSS Spokesman belongs to several professional associations including the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Administrators, Nigeria Red Cross Society, Nigeria Institute for Industrial Security, Society for Peace Scholars and Practice. He is a fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administrators.