“If you say Doyin Okupe is an attack dog, that’s his job” – Ben Murray Bruce commends Okupe

At a one-day workshop for special assistants on media and directors of information of federal ministries, the special adviser to President Jonathan on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, received commendation from a former DG of the NTA and chairman of the Silver Bird group, Ben Murray Bruce over the way he’s handled his responsibilities.

He faulted Okupe’s critics and advised the special adviser not to see the label of attack dog as an insult, but as a compliment.

“If you say Doyin Okupe is an attack dog, that’s his job. That’s the job he is paid to do. A media aide shouldn’t allow his boss to be attacked without defence.

“In this era of twitter, you must protect your boss who is attacked on daily basis. Do not be afraid,” he told Okupe.

On his part, Okupe emphasised the value of collective responsibility. Delivering his welcome address at the occassion, Okupe said, “It is our responsibility to change this country, not President Jonathan. We must understand the role we have to play in this country.”

Addressing participants of the workshop, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, emphasised that the Jonathan administration is committed to transparency and runs an open government. Anyim said that it was as a result of this that the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act was signed into law.

“The signing of the FoI Act into law by the president was borne out of this need to remove the veil of secrecy that had for several years in this country shrouded governance and which had unfortunately encouraged the thinking that government was a cult from which the people were excluded.

“Today, that perception of government is changing. Nigerians can, and indeed have been availing themselves of the opportunity presented by the Act to hold government accountable.

“But that is not all. This administration has even gone a step further to deepen communication with the public through the re-establishment of the Department of Public Affairs within the Presidency to continually make information about government activities available to the public.

“President Jonathan’s commitment to transform this country remains unshaken despite the growing tendency of the opposition to misinform the public. It is your responsibility to stem this unwholesome trend.

“You must strive to keep to the pace and commit yourselves to nation-building. Make deliberate efforts to debunk the misinformation and campaigns of calumny against government. You can achieve this in a coordinated and professional manner that leaves no one in doubt that this administration is living up to the promise it made to the people when it was inaugurated on May 29, 2011.”



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