Victoria Mgbanwa
Members of the Guild Of Corporate Online Publishers(GOCOP) have been called upon to fight fake news.
The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, stated this at the pre Annual Conference luncheon of GOCOP in Abuja.
“My singular message to GOCOP is a charge to them to help in the fight against fake news.
Newsmen should be sure of any information at their disposal before releasing the news to the public. He said that he recently suffered the poison in fake news”, he said.
The Nigeria Customs Service through Abdullahi Aliyu Mai Wada, the National Public Relations Officer, said that most public relations divisions in the armed forces and beyond knew very much about the integrity of GOCOP.
“We hold GOCOP in high esteem and we congratulate you on your first AGM in Abuja, the nation’s capital,” he said.
Group Captain K. Ali, the Deputy Director, Public Relations & Information, Nigerian Airforce Headquarters, Abuja, also said that the Nigerian Airforce leadership reserved huge respect for online publishers.
“The leadership of the Airforce Public Relations Division is keen on this conference.”
Ndukwu Chidi, the Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), representing the Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said that GOCOP members are great allies of the Agency.
He emphasized the need for the citizens to be able to differentiate between publishers and mere bloggers or quacks. He also seeks for continuous collaboration, saying: “We continue to work with GOCOP.”
The Public Affairs, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mrs Ndidi Mbah, GM, who was also represented by Eric Ephraim Ene, said that they too respect GOCOP members a lot.
“We respect you people a lot. Some of you that we have interacted with at events conduct yourselves creditably.”
Also Officials from SEPLAT said explained how some GOCOP members had helped to groomed many other media practitioners.
“As said by the Manager, Corporate Communications (External affairs and Sustainability) at Seplat Energy, Stanley Opara, “Media has helped us a lot. We will do our best to support you.
“Let us sustain the relationship.”
The Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Leke Bayewu, said that mentorship is very important.
“Many media executives act only as bosses, not mentors, but in GOCOP there are many mentors.”
From Nestle, Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability Lead, made it clear that media people have emerged as the unelected representatives of the people.
“You are the voice of the ordinary people. You people are big stakeholders in the society, whereas GOCOP members stand out.”
