Role of Radio on Implementation of Rivers State Government Policy on Environmental Waste (a Study of Riwama)
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the study
The objectives of the study are;
- Assess the effectiveness of radio as a communication tool for disseminating information about the environmental waste management policy and its specific objectives to the general public.
- Evaluate the impact of radio-based awareness and sensitization campaigns on promoting proper waste disposal practices and increasing public participation in waste management initiatives.
- Investigate the level of stakeholder collaboration facilitated by radio platforms, including the government, NGOs, private waste management companies, and local authorities, to determine its influence on policy implementation.
- Analyze the reach and accessibility of radio communication channels in various communities within Rivers State to understand their effectiveness in reaching diverse segments of the population.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEWED OF RELATED LITERATURE
Theoretical Framework
This study was anchored on the Agenda Setting theory. This is because the basic assumption of the above mentioned theory is fundamental to the understanding of the research problem. Alawode (2015) submits that according to Amber (2012), agenda setting theory “originated in 1922 when Walter Lippmann wrote about agenda setting in his book, “public opinion”, a work that would later be considered a classic” (pp. 320-321). He went further to say that Amber noted that although Lippmann never referred to it as agenda setting by name, however, “it was Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw who in 1972 formalised the theory after exploring the issue of media influence in the 1972 election” (p.321). The major assumption of the theory is that the media set agenda for the public to follow. The theory sees the media as instruments used to influence public opinion by setting the agenda in public discourse. According to Daramola (2003), the agenda setting theory simply states that “the mass media has the ability to mentally order or organize the world for people” (p.61). Like other innovative frameworks of thought, the theory has been debated and criticized. Amber (2012) as cited in Alawode (2015) says that the most common criticism of agenda setting theory is that it is so broad and contains so many variables that are too difficult to measure. Despite the criticisms, it is one of the bedrock for the application of mass media effects. As previously stated in the background to the study that RIWAMA makes use of the media (conventional method) in implementing its communication strategies for waste management to the public, the Agenda Setting theory provides a useful framework for identifying and analyzing how RIWAMA has used the media agenda setting power in educating and enlightening the public on waste management. Extrapolating from the ideology of this theory, it can be seen that RIWAMA can structure messages on waste management in the media, and frequently use the media to relay these messages to emphasize the importance of waste management issues in the public’s mind.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain Role of Radio on Implementation of Rivers State Government Policy on Environmental Waste (A Study of RIWAMA). In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing challenges of Role of Radio on Implementation of Rivers State Government Policy on Environmental Waste (A Study of RIWAMA)
Summary
This study was on Role of Radio on Implementation of Rivers State Government Policy on Environmental Waste (A Study of RIWAMA). Four objectives were raised which included: Assess the effectiveness of radio as a communication tool for disseminating information about the environmental waste management policy and its specific objectives to the general public, evaluate the impact of radio-based awareness and sensitization campaigns on promoting proper waste disposal practices and increasing public participation in waste management initiatives, investigate the level of stakeholder collaboration facilitated by radio platforms, including the government, NGOs, private waste management companies, and local authorities, to determine its influence on policy implementation and analyze the reach and accessibility of radio communication channels in various communities within Rivers State to understand their effectiveness in reaching diverse segments of the population. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from Rivers State Waste Management Agency. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
The Rivers State Waste Management Agency has adopted various communication strategies for communicating waste management to the public, which include the launching of a mobile application, the use of a combination of traditional media channels and interpersonal, as well as social media platforms in interfacing with the residents of Port Harcourt metropolis to sensitize and inform the public on proper waste management. The contents of RIWAMA’s communication messages are heavily focused on providing information on waste disposal, which were occasionally disseminated through the radio, television and interpersonal channels of communication. Based on the findings of this study, we conclude that RIWAMA’s communication strategies for waste management to the public are innovative but nevertheless, the message contents of the communication strategies are not adequate to create sufficient education on waste management among members of the public. The contents of the messages are not entirely aligned to the objectives of the agency as enshrined in the Rivers State Waste Management Law. This shows that there is a significant relationship between the content of the messages of RIWAMA’s communication strategies and public understanding of waste management practices. Given the above, it is necessary for RIWAMA to develop waste messages that go beyond merely disseminating information on waste disposal, and create avenues that will bring about public education, interaction and participation in waste management
Recommendation
Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations were made:
- The Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) should come up with a deliberate well-articulated communication strategy that will be documented separately from the law that established it. This will help to guide the agency in contributing effectively to the realization of its vision, goals and core functions as enshrined in section 9(h) of the Rivers State Waste Management law.
- RIWAMA should make conscious efforts to develop waste messages that go beyond merely disseminating information and define the contents of their waste messages according to the goals and objectives for which the agency was established, according to the Rivers State Waste Management law.
- The Rivers State Waste management Agency should give the Rivers State Management laws wide publicity through the various media, so that the masses will know their responsibilities in waste management. This will enable the waste agency to effectively monitor and enforce the law, which will in turn bring about public participation in waste management.
- The agency’s mobile application needs wide publicity through the various communication channels. Because having an innovation is not enough, the innovation has to be adopted by the public, so as to achieve the agency’s communication objectives.
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