Communication Channels as Predictors of Knowledge and Participation in National Social Investment Programmes in Selected Local Government Areas in South-South, Nigeria

Abstract

The National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to tackle poverty.  Ending poverty is the first of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015 by the United Nations and Nigeria, as a signatory to the SDG, has at different times initiated, with little or no results, poverty alleviation initiatives. To achieve success, knowledge and participation are considered critical factors for poverty alleviation initiatives and communication channels play a role in enhancing these two factors. The extent of communication channels used (face-to-face, radio, television, newspaper, billboard, flyers/posters and online) may affect the level of success of the NSIP. The previous studies reviewed had paid no particular attention to the various communication channels used in the NSIP in South-South, Nigeria. This study, therefore, investigated the extent to which the various communication channels contributed to knowledge and participation in NSIP among residents of selected Local Government Areas in South-South, Nigeria.  The study employed the survey research design. The population for the study comprised 2,371,276 residents of nine selected Local Government Areas in South-South, Nigeria. A sample size of 827 was derived using Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill’s formula. The multi-stage sampling technique was adopted for selecting respondents. A validated questionnaire was used for gathering data. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients ranged from 0.78 to 0.82. The response rate was 98.1%.  Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential (linear regression) statistics. Results showed that the respondents received information about NSIP poverty alleviation initiatives through face-to-face (86.9%), radio (83.0%), television (69.8%), newspaper (46.2%), online (25.8%), flyers/posters (25.5%), and outdoor/billboard (16.4%). The result further revealed that the knowledge level of NSIP poverty alleviation initiatives among respondents was very high extent (xÌ… = 3.71 on a scale of 4; SD = 1.04) while the participation was low extent (xÌ… = 2.26 on a scale of 4; SD = 1.21). The study further revealed that the communication channels had significant influence on the knowledge of (Adj.R² = 0.403, F(2, 808) = 22.404, p < 0.05), and participation in (Adj.R² = 0.042, F(2, 808) = 151.103, p < 0.05) NSIP poverty alleviation initiatives. The study concluded that knowledge of, and participation in NSIP poverty alleviation initiatives were heightened by the various communication channels. It was recommended that there should be continued use of face-to-face, radio and television to enhance knowledge and participation in the NSIP poverty alleviation initiatives.

Keywords: Communication channels, Knowledge of NSIP, National Social Investment Programmes, Participation in NSIP, Poverty alleviation