The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Kenechukwu Onwuemelie has commended the activeness of members of the Abia state chapter of the Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria, OMPAN.
This is even as OMPAN has assured to support the police in its fight against crime in the state.
CP Kenechukwu gave the commendation on Monday during a courtesy visit by some members of OMPAN at the Abia State Police Command Headquarters in Umuahia, the state capital.
While commending OMPAN members for the visit, CP Kenechukwu also advised that they should use the advantage of their medium to promote factual reportage, and professionalism and to also stand firm as the watchdog of the society, adding that “it will be to the advantage OMPAN members, especially in the use of the online media which is now referred to as new media”.
“It is for your own advantage because you are the ones who truly speak for the people.
“In many cases, news coming from your platforms actually makes a wider audience. The mainstream media has also recognized the importance of this, some of them now have segments dedicated to online media, so nobody can play down your importance.” CP Kenechukwu said.
CP Kenechukwu who stated the readiness of the command to partner with OMPAN on information gathering, dissemination and policing of Abia State to keep Abia safer for the citizens said “You are not taking your job likely and I like it, we need to be up on our toes.
“I’m also happy that you know that we need to be partners. Let’s also know that the bottom line is the benefit of the people. I assure you of our support and continued collaboration.” CP Kenechukwu said.
OMPAN Chairman, Chief Promise Uzoma Okoro in his speech said OMPAN members were in his office to seek synergy with the command and to show support in the command’s effort in its fight against fake news, crime and criminality in the state.
He also appreciated the leadership nature of the CP, which he noted to have helped to ensure relative peace in the state, stating that OMPAN is happy to be part of his career success story.
“You cannot joke with the online media because there’s no editorial bottlenecks. We want to tell you that we are happy with the way you are administering the Police Command in Abia state and we want to be partners in progress, we want to help you fight fake news. We will continue to support the police.” Promise said.
Promise also assured the CP of the credibility and professionalism of OMPAN members, especially with the revalidation exercise carried out recently by his administration for improved data banking of OMPAN members, said that members under his watch would promote objectivity in their reportage of the command and the state in general.
The OMPAN chairman also commended the media-friendly nature of CP Kenechukwu and applauded the gallantry of the command’s operatives who tracked and arrested kidnap suspects of Professor Godwin Emezie, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Abia State University in February and the arrest of a student who killed a student in Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU).
He further commended the peaceful intervention and resolution on the issue of the invasion of the office of an OMPAN member; Ifeanyi Okali (ABN office) in Umuahia by some policemen in January during a live program while enforcing an arrest on a reported case.
