AN ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION (A CASE STUDY OF MAIDUGURI METROPOLITAN COUNCIL)

ABSTRACT This study assessed the practice and effectiveness of public relations in local government administration, using the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) as a case study. The purpose was to examine the role of public relations in council administration, identify the communication strategies used to engage the public, evaluate the effectiveness of these activities, and investigate the challenges limiting efficient communication. A descriptive survey design was employed, and data were collected from 148 respondents through structured questionnaires, supported by qualitative insights. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to analyze the data. The major findings revealed that public relations plays a crucial role in MMC, with 83.1% of respondents affirming that PR enhances communication and 74.3% agreeing that it builds the council’s public image. The study also found that PR supports conflict management, as indicated by 64.2% of respondents. Communication channels used by the council are dominated by traditional methods radio announcements (94.6%), community meetings (74.3%), and printed materials (64.2%) while digital platforms such as social media (30.4%) and the council’s website (16.9%) remain underutilized. Although 69.6% of respondents trust information released by the council, only 40.5% agreed that MMC responds promptly to complaints, revealing a weakness in feedback handling. Key challenges identified include inadequate resources (84.4%), political interference (73.0%), and a lack of trained PR professionals (75.7%). The study concludes that while public relations contributes significantly to administrative effectiveness and community engagement in MMC, its potential is limited by structural challenges, resource constraints, and low digital capacity. It recommends strengthening PR units through training, ensuring adequate funding, expanding communication channels, especially digital tools, and enhancing community engagement to improve transparency, responsiveness, and cooperation between the council and residents. Keywords: Public Relations, Local Government Administration, Communication Strategies, Public Trust, Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), Governance, Citizen Engagement.