ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to evaluate the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Consumer outreach programme (COP) among Abuja Municipal Area Council residents. The study is set out to find out the public relations strategies used by COP of the NCC to achieve its objective, to assess consumers level of awareness of and participation in COP amongst Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) residents and to find out the benefit consumers of GSM resident in AMAC obtained from COP. The study adopted two-way symmetric model and relationship management theory as the theoretical frameworks and cross sectional descriptive survey as the research methed. The sample size for this study was 384 and interview three senior management staff of the commission. The sampling techniques is simple random, convenience and purposive. Data were collected with the aid of questionnaire and interview schedule as instrument of data collection. Afterward, the data from the respondents were analyzed with statistical package for social science (SPSS) using simple frequency percentages table as well as chi square. The major findings revealed that the public relations strategies used by consumer outreach programme are interactivity and publicizing the programme in local language of the city location where the programme will take place. The awareness level of Consumer Outreach Programme is moderately low 45.5% as against 55.5% who are not aware of the consumer outreach programme. Participation among participants is said to be in area of asking questions 38% and tabling complaints 38% as well as the programme is beneficial in terms of improved knowledge of consumer‘s right 54.5%. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the Nigerian Communications Commission should intensify its publicity regarding COP as to reach out to a large population of consumers. This can be achieved by using the mobile networks to send messages in form of unsolicited text messages to mobile phone users. The voice mobile advert can also be used as well in sensitizing people about the activities of COP. The advantage is that the network bears part of the cost which will make the networks sensitive to improving the quality of service they provide to consumer.

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CHAPTER ONE

1.1        Background to the Study