PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICE IN SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN SOUTH - SOUTH NIGERIA.

Public relations is a planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organization and its publics. However, many government establishments like the local government councils do not make use of public relations effectively in the administration of public service. Many Nigerians have not felt the impact of local government administration in their area. There is a distant relationship between promise and performance in the local government setting. This research examines public relations practice in local government administration in nine local governments which were randomly selecteds from Delta, Edo and Rivers States In order to determine the practice of public relations in the selected local government council, two instruments were used for data collection. They were interview and administration of questionnaire. Senior members of staff from the nine local government councils were interviewed. One thousand, two hundred and eighty three (1,283) copies of the questionnaire were administered both to local government council staff and the public in these areas. However, one thousand, two hundred and twenty–two (1,222) copies were returned. Percentages and average mean-point were used to analysed the data collected. Results showed that there were public relations departments in these local government councils although they are called public affairs department. The result also showed that the public perceived public relations practice in local government as not responsive to the plight of the people and not active in crisis management. Invariably, public relations have not been used in many local government councils to influence the image the local government in South- South Nigeria. However, the study among other things recommends that public relations should be established and effectively used in local government councils in Nigeria since public relations is a strong instrument for good governance.Public relations is a planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organization and its publics. However, many government establishments like the local government councils do not make use of public relations effectively in the administration of public service. Many Nigerians have not felt the impact of local government administration in their area. There is a distant relationship between promise and performance in the local government setting. This research examines public relations practice in local government administration in nine local governments which were randomly selecteds from Delta, Edo and Rivers States In order to determine the practice of public relations in the selected local government council, two instruments were used for data collection. They were interview and administration of questionnaire. Senior members of staff from the nine local government councils were interviewed. One thousand, two hundred and eighty three (1,283) copies of the questionnaire were administered both to local government council staff and the public in these areas. However, one thousand, two hundred and twenty–two (1,222) copies were returned. Percentages and average mean-point were used to analysed the data collected. Results showed that there were public relations departments in these local government councils although they are called public affairs department. The result also showed that the public perceived public relations practice in local government as not responsive to the plight of the people and not active in crisis management. Invariably, public relations have not been used in many local government councils to influence the image the local government in South- South Nigeria. However, the study among other things recommends that public relations should be established and effectively used in local government councils in Nigeria since public relations is a strong instrument for good governance.