PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGIES AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF JOS NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe study set out to critically examine the place of public relations in the administration of local government areas in plateau state, with Jos North Local Government Area as an area of study. The study examines the extent to which public relations is used to manage the local government area, which has been riddled with one form of crisis or the other, in the last ten years. In addition, the paper examines the factors which impede the effective practice of public relations in Jos North Local Government Area and also, the public relations strategies that can be used to effectively manage the crisis in Jos. The survey research method was adopted and the questionnaire was used as instrument of data collection. One hundred (100) copies of questionnaire were administered to the sampled population. Findings show that, although the Local government endeavours to inform the people about its policies and programmes, the information provided, is done on an occasional basis. Findings show that there is a general dissatisfaction with public relations practice in Jos North Local Government Area. Based on the findings, the paper concludes that the extent to which Jos North Local Government recognises and makes use of public relations is little. On the basis of the findings and conclusion, the paper, among others recommended that, local governments in Nigeria should evolve public relations policies, which will serve as guides towards their attainment of public relations objectives.Keywords: Public Relations, Communication, Local Government, Administration and Peace building.INTRODUCTION:Public relations in Nigeria has come a long way, especially in the post independence era, where there has been significant development in government public relations activities. Public relations has also shown tremendous growth in recent years worldwide and its growth is attributed to numerous reasons. Public relations exists in every activity, which involves human beings, even where it is an individual activity. Thus, in addition to reinforcing the ubiquity of public relations, Nwosu (1996,p.8) went on to spell out its usefulness to governments in contemporary societies, which are democratic and need the consent, support and mutual understanding of their people, for better administration. It is in the light of that relationship that public relations practitioners in government see themselves as the linking bridge between government and its owners and the civil society.Since 1976, when local government reforms were carried out in Nigeria, the local governments have always had to contend with greater responsibility placed on their shoulders than ever before. Among other things, the guidelines of the reforms demanded the performance of numerous functions from the local government. As noted by Ekumankama (1996), the local governments are:* to make appropriate services and development activities by developing on or delegating them to local representative bodies;* to facilitate the exercise of democratic self-government close to the local levels of our society and encourage initiative and leadership potential;* to mobilise human and material resources, through the involvement of members of the public in their local governments; and* to provide a two-way channel of communication between local communities and the government, both state and federal.In view of the guideline of the reforms, a lot of duties were conferred on the local government, by encouraging citizenship participation in the day to day running of the local areas. The local governments have automatically become democratised. One characteristic of democratic institution is their desire to win the understanding and support of the populace. The present democratic posture of the local government demands that they provide information on all they do for the people they govern. This means they have to make themselves, their policies and programmes, clearly understood at all times, by those on whose behalf, they act. …

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