By Halimah Olamide
The Minister of Information, Alhaji Mohammed Malagi Idris, has called on media practitioners to collaborate with his Ministry and the government for the betterment of the society.
He spoke in Abuja when he received members of the Executive Committee of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers.
The GOCOP team was led to the meeting on Tuesday by its President and Publisher of Realnews magazine, Maureen Chigbo.
The Minister also urged online publishers to always endeavour to cross-check information before publishing.
He urged journalists to take pride in the fact that they have their representative as part of the government.
Idris said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed “one of us and the interest of the media is my interest”.
He thus called on the media to take interest in his affairs as well.
According to Idris, practitioners should endeavour to partner with the government for the collective good of all.
He urged professionals to focus on the positive things happening across Nigeria and not just the negatives, adding: “There are many positive things happening in Nigeria that are largely unreported.”
The Minister thanked the executive committee members for the meeting, even as he recalled that he has been a keen, silent follower of GOCOP activities for years.
Speaking earlier, Chigbo congratulated the Minister on his appointment.
She used the opportunity to inform Idris that GOCOP will be holding its 7th Annual Conference in Abuja on October 5, 2023 at Abuja Continental Hotel, urging him to be a key partner.
GOCOP executive committee members present at the meeting included Dotun Oladipo, immediate past president and Managing Editor/CEO of Premium Eagle Media Limited, publishers of The Eagle Online; Danlami Nmodu, mni, Deputy President; Ken Ugbeche, Vice President (South); Tom Chiahemen, Vice President (North); Collins Edomaruse, General Secretary; and Tajudeen Kareem, an Abuja-based GOCOP member.