PUBLIC RELATIONS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION (A STUDY OF ETSAKO WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT)

ABSTRACT

The growth and development of any establishment especially a local government outfit are largely dependent on the people’s notion and attitude towards it. It is worthy to note that local government is the third-tier government formed and structure to serve as a linking bridge between the rural people and the government itself. Since the welfare of this sectcep is of importance, the government see to binding of a reliable local government factor with the main aim of relating and carrying out administrative functions on behalf of the government geared towards the betterment of the people. With this medium also, the government can relate, associate and communicate effectively with the governed, no matter the distance. This project is centered on the public relations practices, practical Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. It seeks to advantage the state of public relation among the local government and the public to evaluate if public relations has any effect on the attitude, behaviour and growth of such a constituency. Good public relations, they say is the backbone of a grossing community especially in a growing economy like Nigeria.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page    -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        i

Declaration -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        ii

Approval    -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        iii

Dedication  -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        iv

Acknowledgements        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        v

Abstract      -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        vi

Table of Contents -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        vii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1            Background of the Study        -        -        -        -        -        -        1

1.2            Origin of Public Relation         -        -        -        -        -        -        4

1.3            Statement of the Problem        -        -        -        -        -        -        5

1.4            Research Questions       -        -        -        -        -        -        6

1.5            Purpose of the Study     -        -        -        -        -        -        6

1.6            Significance of the Study         -        -        -        -        -        -        7

1.7            Operational Definition of Terms       -        -        -        -        7       

1.8            Limitations -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        8

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1     Review of Related Literature   -        -        -        -        -        9

2.2     Theoretical Framework -                   -        -        -        -        -        13

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1     Research Design   -        -        -        -        -        -        -        16

3.2     Population of the study -        -        -        -        -        -        16

3.4     Sample and Sampling Techniques    -        -        -        -        17

3.5     Method of Data Collection      -        -        -        -        -        17

3.6     Method of Data Analysis        -        -        -        -        -        -        17

CHAPTER FOUR:       DATA ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION

                                      AND DISCUSSION

4.1     Data Analysis      -        -        -        -        -        -        -        18

4.2     Discussion  -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        34

CHAPTER FIVE:   SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND

                                    RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1     Summary    -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        36

5.2     Conclusion -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        37

5.3     Recommendations         -        -        -        -        -        -        -        38

          References  -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        39

          Appendices -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        40

CHAPTER ONE

1.1       Background of the Study

The life and success of any organisation can only be ensured and sustained through effective mobilization of both the internal and external publics of the organisation.

Therefore, an organisation’s public needs to be properly mobilized in order to create the awareness basis for their appreciation and participation in its policy decisions and programmes hence local government as a third tier system of government in Nigeria was established to bring government closer to the people. Local Government, whether, representative or not, it is a means of co-ordinating and managing functions at local level. It is a means of involving the local citizenry in determining needs, assigning priorities, mastering local resources, providing the people with a sense of identification and participation.

Yet, much have not been done in the area of identification and participation which will facilitate and install an effective local government administration.

It is against this background that the researcher has decided to investigate why some local government councils cannot or have not been able to achieve much in area of identification and participation with their various publics. Therefore, this project work is going to focus on how public relations can enable local government perform creditably.

For better understanding of the issue, the researcher will streamline public relations by carefully analysing works public relations can do to improve the image and goodwill of local government council of Etsako West.

It is enough to say that public relations is a composite of relationships both personal and institutional. It is both the reflection and substance of public opinion. It include all the contact within and extending outside an agency. Personal or impersonal, direct or indirect, specific or general. The handshake of the chairman/administrator, the voice of the telephone operator, the conduct of the security officer, the job done by the street sweepers – all establish relationships, which contribute positively or negatively to the sum total of public opinion about a local government. This explains that all the local government employees are or must be involved in fostering of good image and mutual relationship with its public.

Wherever mankind is, public relations exist, as a matter of fact, irrespective of what is done or not and regardless of quality, infact, public relations is pervasive.

In this regard, local government administration is not an exception. Local government administration cannot be a reality without the joint effort between the local government council and the community in which it functions.

Good image and good human relations complement each other. It is not possible therefore to talk of fostering good image without fostering good behaviour and understanding between the staff of the local government council, its community and its publics. This could be achieved if the management of local government employs the principle of modern public relations.

Public relations should not be assigned to a particular department and forgotten. Public relations practice is a collective responsibility of all employers of various departments of an establishment or local government council. This is fact, because all employees of various departments are major tools of communication and public relations and the behaviour and attitude can mar or injure the overall image of an establishment or local government councils by what they do or say, when they come in contact with the public.

It is therefore clear that the relevance and effective public relations is the result of good image, mutual understanding and sustaining the local government public relations programmes.

However, this study is focused on Etsako West Local Government Area. Etsako West is a Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. It has its administrative headquarters at Auchi.

 The communities in Etsako West includes Uzairue, Auchi, South Ibie, Awain clan and Agbede. The major towns in this local government area includes Auchi, Jattu, Agbede, Jagbe and Awain. The people’s main occupation is farming. The indigenes are also tradesmen such as tailors, auto-mechanics, photographers, and electricians. Commerce has been growing at a fast rate especially at Auchi and Ibie.

The location of the Federal Polytechnic in Auchi has contributed immensely to the commercial growth of the local government.

Infrastructure available in the local government includes good network of roads, electricity, telephone, postal and courier services. Health services are provided by public health centres, private and public hospitals, clinics and maternity homes. All these spread across 946sq kilometres of Etsako West Local Government Area.

1.2       Origin of Public Relations

 The origin of public relations can be traced to American in the ancient times. The priests serves as “public relation advisers” to their kings. Their priests were believed to be experts in public opinion and good persuaders. The kings on tier own always consulted them before any relevant and major decisions or event were undertaken.

The priest then was also believed to have played prominent roles by producing literatures, poems of praise, lamentation and edicts to govern the people. These tools and techniques of public relations have long been an important past of the weapon in political and social conflicts as we have come to see and know today. There were sustained campaigns to move and manipulate public opinions. Then as was portrayed in America in the work of Samuel Adams and his cohorts during the revolutionary war of independence where the beginning of mass mobilisation of public opinion. The fem platform pulpit, staged events, symbols and political  organisation where for these men (Samuel Adams and others) used for a determined, imaginative and relenting mobilization until the United States of America was created in 1777.

During the revolution, Adams foresaw that public opinion aroses from the march of events and the way events were seen by those who were in public affairs. At this line, the concept or terminology “public relations” were little known at that time as a result of few benefits to its full scale development – there were no means of mass communication on a national basis and moreover, individual and groups relationship then was relatively simple, people were self-sufficient and also independent. In line with this, three major antecedents of 20^th (twentieth) century publicity can be deduced from the shady past of public relations in America. The first was press agency, another was the use of advertising and the third was publicity for business purposes because of critics and reforms.

At the beginning of public relations, press agents were greatly used by showmen to create situation designed that is to get names and pictures of performance published in their newspapers and magazines.

Press agency was born when Philaos Barnum who live between 1810 – 1891, started the show business in 1835. Philaos, exhibited a nigress said to have been a share of George Washington, assenting that she was 160 years old and he employed press agents to publish his events (show business) on news prints.

Again, in 1903, another person by name Ivy Lee, insisted of being fooled, formed his public relations firm, parker and Lere with another newspaper man, George Parker. Many contributions were made by great men particularly Lee that are still in used till these present day.

It is along this line, in the 1903’s, when the United States of America was suffering economic depression, that most organisations saw the importance of public relations. Business owners then saw the need to regain the confidence lost during the depression. Thus public relations growth.

1.3       Statement of Problem

In local government administration, public relation is a vital tool that can be used by the local administrative government to achieve its administrative goals or objective. In spite of this advantage, Etsako West has always been given a better image by the people or public. It is on this basis, that this research work is specifically designed to highlights the relevance of public relations in Etsako West Local Government Administration.

The study will also highlight how public relations can help to boost the good image of the establishment.

1.4       Research Question

1.         Is public relations given a role to play in Etsako West Local Government Council.

2.         To what extent has public relations help to improve the relationship between the local government and its public?

3.         Does public relations help to improve the relationship between the local government and its public?

4.         To what extent has the public relations attitude of the staff of Etsako West Local Government Council affects public relations practice?

1.5       Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to identify how public relations in local government administration can boost its image to the publics.

Its purpose is also highlight how public relations can help to develop and maintain a mutual relationship between the local government employees and the public, especially in Etsako West Local Government and other local government councils in Nigeria in general.

1.6       Significance of the Study

This study will be of great importance to the management and staff of Etsako West Local Government Council to know and appreciate the relevance of public relations in local government administration.

It will also be useful to all interested public relations practitioners in knowing that their careers has great relevance in local government administration.

Besides, the research work is expected to show the short-falls of public relations officers and possibly correct the over expectations of management of public relations.

1.7       Definition of Terms

Relevance: Able to bring about intents or desire.

Local Government: Government of the affairs of the country, town by local elected political bodies. It also means government at the grassroots which is the third-tier government of Nigeria.

Administration: It is used to mean the action part of government. It must exist in an establishment set up for a defined purpose or objective.

Publics: The various groups who influence or are influenced by the acts and policies of an establishment.

Internal Public: These are groups made up of the local government employees, both senior and junior staff. Internal publics influence and can also be influenced by the policies of the government council.

External Publics: Refers to the groups (Etsako West Community) which are not directly involved in the day to day administration of local government council. But, they are influenced or affected by the acts or policies of the local government council.

1.8       Limitation of the Study

This research work is carried out, but not without some obvious setbacks. For instance, number of questionnaires were administered to respondents, not all the respondents could return their questionnaires.

Another remarkable hindrance is shortage of fund. Some of the research materials had to be borrowed.

Researchers are always faced with numbers of problems while conducting any research and this researcher is not exempted. Available time for this study was relatively short as other academic activities were competing for time.