THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS- A STUDY OF AHIAZU MBAISE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

i TITLE PAGE THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: A STUDY OF AHIAZU MBAISE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA BY ANYANWU MARCE OKEY PG/M.Sc/09/53798 A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING, FACULTY OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, ENUGU CAMPUS IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.Sc) DEGREE IN PUBLIC RELATIONS SUPERVISOR: DR (MRS) J NNABUKO AUGUST, 2012 ii APPROVAL PAGE This dissertation has been approved for the Department of Marketing DR (MRS) J NNABUKO Supervisor DATE _ DATE DR S C MOGULUWA Head of Department iii CERTIFICATION I, Anyanwu Marce Okey, a postgraduate student in the Department of Marketing, state that I have satisfactorily completed the requirements for the award of Master of Science (M.Sc) Degree, in Public Relations in the Department of Marketing, Faculty of Business Administration, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus I also state that the work embodied in this dissertation is original and has not been submitted in part or full for any other diploma or degree of this or any other University _ ANYANWU MARCE OKEY PG/M.Sc/09/53798 Student iv DEDICATION This work is dedicated to Almighty God for His manifold grace and opportunity he gave me to start school in the “afternoon” v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my profound gratitude to Dr (Mrs) J Nnabuko, my supervisor who patiently guarded me through this work Acknowledgments are gratefully given to my well endowed inspirational lecturers at University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus- Drs S C Moguluwa, J Uduji, A Ehikwe and Agbeze and all other who have encouraged me in the cause of my programme Special thanks to my Jewel, Deaconess Mary Anyanwu and my lovely gifts from Almighty God – Chioma, Chononso and Chinaza for their encouragements from the home front vi ABSTRACT This study explored the role of social media in the communication management of local governments with Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area as case study Social media is changing the world in which we work and govern From twitter to eBay, Facebook to you Tube, new tools are emerging every year that place the connecting power of the internet in the hands of everybody But inspite of these development, there is still low appreciation and application of social media in local government in Nigeria particularly in Ahiazu Local Government Area The study adopted the survey research method which involves the use of questionnaire and interview Data gotten from the field survey was analyzed in frequencies and percentages while the hypotheses postulated was tested using the sample proportion statistic All of the alternative hypothesis of the four hypotheses were all accepted Findings revealed among other things that there is positive correlation between level of education and social media communication in the rural communities Finally, it was recommended that Government should embark on compulsory electrification of the rural areas There should be mass awareness of the ruralites as an important condition for social media communication and that the ruralites should be encouraged to open email accounts to be used so as to encourage social media vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page i Approval Page ii Certification iii Dedication iv Acknowledgments v Abstract vi Table of Contents vii List of Tables x List of Figures xii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study 1.2 Statement of the Problem 1.3 Objectives of the Study 1.4 Research Questions 1.5 Research Hypotheses 1.6 Significance of the Study 1.7 Area and Scope of the Study 1.8 Limitations of the Study viii 1.9 Definition of Operational Terms 10 Reference 12 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.1 Introduction 13 2.2 Frame of Social Media in Local Government Administration 19 2.3 Democracy and Fiscal Responsibility in Local Government Administration 22 2.4 Social Media and Electoral Incentives in Local Government Administration 38 2.5 Tools of Social Media in Local Government Administration 2.6 48 Information Communication Technology as the Drive for Social Media 59 2.7 Rural Telephony in Nigeria 111 2.8 Summary of the Review of Related Literature 120 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 3.2 Introduction 123 Research Design 123 ix 3.3 Sources of Data 124 3.4 Population of the Study 124 3.5 Sample Size Determination 125 3.6 Method of Data Collection 125 3.7 Validation of Research Instrument 126 3.8 Reliability of the Research instrument 126 3.9 Method of Presentation and Data Analysis 126 CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS 4.1 Hypotheses Testing CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF SUMMARY RESULTS, 135 OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 Summary of Findings 139 5.2 140 Discussion of Results 5.3 Conclusion 142 5.4 Recommendations 143 5.5 Areas for Further Studies 144 Bibliography 146 Appendix 149 x LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1: Local Governments in Nigeria 1933-1997 18 Table 2.2: Statutory allocation to local government 31 Table 2.3: Summary of local government finance (1993-2008) 37 Table 2.4: Characteristics of executive support systems Table 4.1: Questionnaire Response Rate 93 128 Table 4.2: Nature Relationship between Computer Literacy and Social Media Communication in Rural Communities 129 Table 4.3: Nature of Correlation between General Level Education and Social Media Communication in Rural Communities of Ahiazu Mbaise L.G.A Table 4.4: Nature of Significant Relationship between 130 clxv APPENDIX Department of Marketing Faculty of Business Administration School of Post Graduate Studies University of Nigeria Enugu Campus 8th July, 2011 clxvi Dear Respondents, I am a Post Graduate student of the Department of Marketing (Public Relations) carrying out a research project on “The Role of Social Media in Communication Management of Local Government” The research project is in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of M.Sc Degree in Public Relations It is purely an academic exercise and would not be used to undermine any one’s interest(s) I assure you that the information so collected will not be let out to the general public Thanks and God bless you Anyanwu Marce Okey QUESTIONNAIRE How is permanent staff structure of Ahiazu Mbaise? (a) Director of Administration/General Services [ ] (b) Head of Personnel Management [ ] clxvii (c) (d) (e) Treasurer Cashier [ ] [ ] Internal Auditor [ ] (f) Personnel Secretaries (g) All [ [ ] ] What is the structure of an elected staff of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Chairman (b) Vice Chairman [ (c) Secretary [ (d) Supervisory Chancellors [ (e) Leader of the Council [ (f) Chancellors (g) All [ [ ] ] ] [ ] ] ] ] What is the mode of interaction of elected staff of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government with the local people? (a) Intercom [ ] (b) Land telephone [ ] clxviii (c) GSM [ ] (d) E-mail (e) All [ ] [ ] What are the supervisors of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Health [ ] (b) Works [ ] (c) Education/Sports [ ] (d) Agric [ ] (e) All [ ] What are the hindrances to GSM communication in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Poor Wheather [ ] (b) Lack of TelecomMast (c) Insufficient number of service providers [ ] (d) Not everyone has Handset [ ] (e) All [ ] [ ] What are the major forms of communication in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Radio [ ] (b) Print media [ ] clxix (c) Television [ ] (d) Trumpet [ ] (e) Radio Communication [ ] (f) Ikoro [ ] (g) (h) Ogene [ ] Omu [ ] (i) All [ ] Who checks the activities of staff of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Governor [ ] (b) NULGE [ ] (c) Ministry of LG and Chieftaincy Affairs [ ] (d) Local Government Service Commission [ ] (e) All [ ] Who are the commissioners of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Administration? (a) Health Supervisor [ ] (b) Works Supervisor [ ] (c) Agricultural Supervisor [ ] (d) Education/Sports Supervisor [ ] clxx To what extent does chairman of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government utilize radio to communicate to indigenes? (a) Very High [ ] (b) High [ ] (c) Low [ ] (d) Very Low [ ] 10 To what extent does the management of Ahiazu Mbaise utilizes print media to communicate to indigenes? (a) Very High [ ] (b) High [ ] (c) Low [ ] (d) Very Low [ ] 11 How rampant is the use of Internet in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Very High [ ] (b) High [ ] (c) Low [ ] clxxi (d) Very Low [ ] 12 What is the rate of patronage of Face book in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Very High [ ] (b) High [ ] (c) Low [ ] (d) Very Low [ ] 13 What is the rate of patronage of Twitter in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Very High [ ] (b) High [ ] (c) Low [ ] (d) Very Low [ ] 14 What is the rate of patronage of Blog in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Very High [ ] (b) High [ ] (c) Low [ ] (d) Very Low [ ] clxxii 15 To what extent the Traditional rulers interfare in the management of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Very High [ ] (b) High [ ] (c) Low [ ] (d) Very Low [ ] 16 How many times on average in a month are the activities of Ahiazu Mbaise beemed in State or National Television? (a) Once [ ] (b) Twice [ ] (c) Thrice [ ] (d) Four times [ ] (e) More than Four Times [ ] 17 How is the nature of reception of GSM services in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Very very efficient [ ] (b) Very efficient [ ] (c) Efficient [ ] (d) Moderately efficient [ ] clxxiii (e) 18 How Not efficient [ ] many wards have Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) 01-03 [ ] (b) 04-06 [ ] (c) 07-09 [ ] (d) 10-12 [ ] (e) 13-15 [ ] 19 What is the minimum qualification of elected staff of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) FLST [ ] (b) O’level [ ] (c) A’Level/Equivalent [ ] (d) Degree [ ] (e) Professional Certificate 20 What is the maximum life span of elected staff of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) One year [ ] (b) Two years [ ] (c) Three years [ ] (d) Four Years [ ] clxxiv (e) Five years [ ] 21 How widely is the knowledge of Facebook in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Very very [ ] (b) Very [ ] (c) Moderate [ ] (d) Low [ ] (e) Very low [ ] 22 What is the rate of computer literacy in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Very very High [ ] (b) Very High [ ] (c) High [ ] (d) Average [ ] (e) Low [ ] (f) Very Low [ ] 23 How prevalent is personal computer in every home in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Very very High [ ] (b) Very High [ ] (c) High [ ] clxxv (d) Average [ ] (e) Low [ ] (f) Very Low [ ] 24 What is the rate of general literacy in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Very very High [ ] (b) Very High [ ] (c) High [ ] (d) Average [ ] (e) Low [ ] (f) Very Low [ ] 25 What is the relationship between computer literacy and social media communication in communities Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Highly positive [ ] (b) Positive [ ] (c) Zero [ ] (d) Negative [ ] (e) Highly Negative [ ] rural clxxvi 26 What is the correlation between general levels of education of social media communication in rural communities of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Highly positive [ ] (b) Positive [ ] (c) Zero [ ] (d) Negative [ ] (e) Highly Negative [ ] 27 How significant is the relationship between Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Social Media Communication in rural communities of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Very highly [ ] (b) Highly [ ] (c) Averagely [ ] (d) Little and very little [ ] 28 What is the relationship between position of personal computers and social media communication in rural communities of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Highly positive [ ] (b) Positive [ ] clxxvii (c) Zero [ ] (d) Negative [ ] (e) Highly Negative [ ] 29 How significant is correlation between awareness nation and use of social media communication in rural communities of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Very highly [ ] (b) Highly [ ] (c) Averagely [ ] (d) Little and very little [ ] 30 How you assess the activities of mass mobilization agencies for grassroot development in communities Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government? (a) Very very efficient (b) Very efficient [ ] (c) Efficient [ ] [ ] (d) Moderately efficient [ ] (e) Not efficient [ ] rural clxxviii 31 What is the nature of positive relationship between face –to-face real world communication and social media? (a) Very highly [ ] (b) Highly [ (c) Averagely [ (d) Little [ ] (e) Very Little [ ] ] ] THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: A STUDY OF AHIAZU MBAISE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA clxxix BY ANYANWU MARCE OKEY PG/M.Sc/09/53798 DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING FACULTY OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA ENUGU CAMPUS AUGUST, 2012 ... use of social media communication in the rural communities in Ahiazu Mbaise L.G .A 6) To ascertain the relationship between face-to-face real world communication and social media in Ahiazu Mbaise. .. computers and social media communication in the rural communities in Ahiazu Mbaise L.G .A There is significant correlation between awareness creation and use of social media communication in Ahiazu Mbaise. .. role of social media in the communication management of local government, with reference to Ahiazu Mbaise Local government of Imo state 1.2 Statement of the Problem Social media is changing the