CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
OF THE STUDY
The government as an institution is an organization and can only
succeed when it maintains mutual lines of communication between itself and its citizenry.
Public relations in government in brief, is the concerted efforts of the
government officials to establish appropriate and effective communication
system that enables
them to produce, project and sustain government’s goals,
aspirations, programmes, activities and policies to reach the ultimate
beneficiaries of the programmes, in most cases, the community. Public relations
is employed in various ways to help the government to establish mutual lines of
communication for faithful
exchange of ideas and perspectives between it and the governed and
also, to create image for the government, both locally and internationally .
p.1). Nwosu (1996,p.204) says that:
Whether military or civilian, government must have the support and
acceptance of the citizenry to be effective and to even survive for a
reasonable period. In theory and in practice, every government derives its
legitimacy or rights to govern from the people or citizens. In a true
democracy, government is voted in by the people to hold power, influence and
control on behalf of the collectivity, of the masses or citizenry
Johnson and Zawawi (2004,p.404) observes that public
relations sector in modern democratic governance implements its policies by using
various mass media. Government management takes two forms; dissemination of
political information and dissemination of public information. Nwosu
(1996,p.204) however opines that very often, many people in government,
especially those in developing countries, seem to forget the relevance of
public relations in the government circle and as a result, they operate as if
they can do without the support and the acceptance of the citizenry. They run
state affairs as rulers or feudal lords, instead of leaders or servants of the
people, for whom they hold political power and trust. But the theory and
practice of modern governance teaches that government, like any other social
institution, must be accountable to the people and operate in the people’s
interest.
Black (1976,p.140) says that public relations is an
essential part of management and this is true in central government as in
industry. The function of public relations in government is essentially
non-political. It is the province of the political parties to organize such
public relations activity, as they may consider necessary to publicize or
promote their party’s policy. Public relations in a government department has
two main tasks; to give regular information on policy, plans and achievements
of the departments and to inform and educate the public on legislation,
regulations and all matters that affect the daily life of citizens. It must
also advise ministers and senior officials of reaction and potential reaction
to actual or proposed policies. In their work on public relations and the
information role of the government to the people, Wilcox, Ault and Agee (1998,p.333)
declare that: There has always been a need for Government communication if for
no other reason, than to inform citizens of the services available and the
manner in which they may be used. In a democracy, public information is crucial
if citizens are to make intelligent judgment about the policies and activities
of their elected representative. The research intends to provide an assessment
of public relations strategy as a tool to promote government policies to the
citizenry with a case appraisal of the practice of Anambra State Government.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The efficient running and
management of government affairs and activities lies with promoting and
implementing programmes and policies that impact on the citizenry. In this
regard the citizenry fully understand and appreciate the activities of
government thereby enhancing harmony and mutual benefit between government and
the people. However this goal often is far from being attained as the government
implement its policies without the impact and understanding of the citizenry.
Therefore the
problem confronting this research is to provide an assessment of public
relation strategy as a tool to promote government policies to the citizenry
with a case appraisal of the practice of Anambra State Government
1.3
RESEARCH QUESTION
1 What
is public relation, functions and significance
2. What
is the nature of public relation strategy as a tool to promote government
policies to the people
3. What
is the nature of public relation practice
of Anambra State Government
1.4
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
1 To appraise the nature of public
relation, functions and significance
2 To
determine the nature of public relation strategy as a tool to promote
government policies to the citizenry
3 To determine the public relation practice of anambra state government.
1.5
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The significance of the study is to
project the importance of creating synergy, understanding and mutual benefit
and impact between the government and the citizenry
1.6
STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESIS
Hypothesis 1
H0
The level of public relation practice
in Anambra State is low
H1 The
level of public relation practice in Anambra State is high
2
Hypothesis 2
H0
The
challenges of public relation practice in Anambra State is high
H1 The
challenges of public relation practice in Anambra State is low
Hypothesis 3
H0 The impact of public relation strategy as a tool
in promoting government policies in Anambra State is low
H1
The impact of public relation
strategy as a tool in promoting government policies in
Anambra State is high
1.7 SCOPE
OF THE STUDY
The research focuses on the assessment of
public relations strategy as a tool to promote government policies to the
citizenry with a case appraisal of public relations practice in Anambra State.
1.8
DEFINITION OF TERMS
PUBLIC RELATION PRACTICE
A PR Practitioner
is a liaison between his institution and the public. He is responsible for
setting public relations policy to represent the corporation or agency to the
public and for conducting research to provide adequate feedback from the public
to the institution. Usually, a PR practitioner works closely with top level management
and is instrumental in influencing management’s policy changes. The PR person
can be described as a strategist who plans and executes large scale public
relations efforts. It is the duty of the public relations practitioners of an
organization to communicate the policies of its organization to the internal and
external publics, so as to make them know such policies.
PUBLIC RELATION
PRACTICE IN GOVERNMENT
Public relations in government
in brief, is the concerted efforts of the government officials to establish
appropriate and effective communication system that enables them to produce,
project and sustain government’s goals, aspirations, programmes, activities and
policies to reach the ultimate beneficiaries of the programmes, in most cases,
the community. Public relations is employed in various ways to help the
government to establish mutual lines of communication for faithful exchange of
ideas and perspectives between it and the governed and also, to create image
for the government, both locally and internationally . p.1). Nwosu (1996,p.204)
says that: Whether military or civilian, government must have the support and
acceptance of the citizenry to be effective and to even survive for a
reasonable period. In theory and in practice, every government derives its
legitimacy or rights to govern from the people or citizens. In a true
democracy, government is voted in by the people to hold power, influence and
control on behalf of the collectivity, of the masses or citizenry.
