REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON

Peace- work- Fatherland

REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN
Paix-Travail-Patrie

MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

MINISTERE DE LENSEIGNEMENT SUPERIEUR

P.O BOX 1136. Bamenda

SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA

The Role of Public Relations Practice in

Promoting Good Governance in Public
Administration:
Case study, Office of the Governor of the
NWR

Submitted to the School of Journalism and Media, in Partial Fulfilment of the

Requirements for the Award of a Bachelor of Technology, (B.TECH) in Journalism
Submitted by

NAAH KENNETH TOH

CM/NPB/15/JMD/2015

Industry based Supervisor

Mr. NDZOMO ZINGUI Guy

Academic Supervisor
Mr. BAWE Phillip
2015/2016 SESSION
i

APPROVAL
I, the undersigned Phillip BAWE do hereby acknowledge and certify that this project
entitled The Role of Public Relations Practice in the Promotion of Good
Governance in Public Administration. Case Study, Office of the Governor of the
NWR is the original work of NAAH KENNETH TOH written after an elaborate
research in the field. The responsibility of any errors, mistakes, omission and facts
that may be found in this work is that of the intern.
My responsibility has been to ensure that the project conforms to international
standards and format required by National Polytechnic University Institute-Bamenda
and the Ministry of Higher Education.
I find this project convincing and as such fit for public defence before the competent
jury for evaluation in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of a
Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) Degree Journalism and Media

Name of Supervisor: Phillip BAWE

Signature: ..............................................

ii

DECLARATION
I, NAAH Kenneth TOH, do hereby declare that this Industrial Attachment Project on
The Role of Public Relations Practice in the Promotion of Good Governance in
Public Administration. Case Study, Office of the Governor of the NWR is my
original work written after several weeks of laborious research in the field in partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the award of a Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech)
Degree in Journalism and Media. No candidate, to the best of my knowledge, has
ever researched on and presented project on the above topic.
I do hereby swear that this work is original and a product of my intellectual creativity.
I am therefore convinced beyond reasonable doubt that it meets ethical and
academic norms and fit for presentation before the competent jury for evaluation.
All borrowed ideas and information have been duly acknowledged by way of
referencing and bibliography.

Name of Student: NAAH KENNETH TOH

Signature:

(+237) 670348627 / 695371584

nakentoh@gmail.com, nakentoh@yahoo.fr
NAKENTOH Kenneth on Social Media

iii

CERTIFICATION
This research project entitled The Role of Public Relations Practice in the
Promotion of Good Governance in Public Administration. Case Study, Office of the
Governor of the NWR meets the requirements and regulations governing the award
of a Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) Degree of National Polytechnic University
Institute-Bamenda in affiliation with the university of Buea, hence approved for its
contribution to scientific acknowledge and literary presentation.

Member of jury

Rapporteur

..

..

President of the Jury

iv

DEDICATION
I gracefully dedicate this piece of work to my dearly loving mother, Mrs.
MANGWETTA Henriette epse late NDIFONKA.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
An intellectual piece of this magnitude has not seen the light of the day without me
having support from many people. Ipso facto, I begin by thanking the Almighty God
for His free breathe of life, strength, resources, opportunities and Grace Hes
accorded to me throughout the academic year and during my internship.
Sincere appreciations go to the supervision efforts of Phillip BAWE, who also is the
Dean of the school of Journalism and Media. He has taken extra pains in implanting
the knowledge I need to realise this project and made sure it is in conformity to the
standards required.
My immense gratitude goes to my industrial supervisor, Mr. ZINGUI Guy, who is the
head of the SERCOM. He, with Mr. BONGNGAM (Chief of Protocol at the Governors
Office) made sure I have a smooth, valuable and very instructive internship
programme at the NW Governors Office.
It will be roguish of me not to place the first lady of my heart on this page of
acknowledgements; my mother, Mrs. MANGWETTA Henriette epse NDIFONKA. She
gave me financial, moral and psychological means for me to have a successful
education, including internship and research. In this category, the financial,
intellectual and spiritual efforts of my brothers NCHANG Cyriac and WANKI TOH
Bertrand are not ignored.
Last but not least, I am thankful to my friends, whom with their collaborations have
helped me enormously on my project. They are RABIATOU Aliyu, ANYAM
Emmanuela, LIKEUTSASSI Elvira and NDOH Nick Brown.
And to those whose names are not mentioned and have helped me in one way or the
other, big thanks to them too.
vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE....i
APPROVAL .............................................................................................................. ii
DECLARATION ....................................................................................................... iii
CERTIFICATION .......................................................................................................iv
DEDICATION ........................................................................................................... v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..........................................................................................vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................. vii
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ................................................................................ix
ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. x
CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION .............................................................. 1
1.1 Background of the study .................................................................................. 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................ 3
1.3 Research Questions .......................................................................................... 4
1.4 Research Hypothesis ........................................................................................ 4
1.5 Objectives purpose of the Study ...................................................................... 4
1.6 Significance of the Study .................................................................................. 5
1.7 Scope of the Study ........................................................................................... 5
1.8 Definition of terms and abbreviations used ..................................................... 6
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ................................................. 8
2.1 Literature review ............................................................................................. 8
2.2 Theoretical framework .................................................................................. 24
2.3 Linking literature review to current study ..................................................... 25
CHAPTER THREE: METHODS AND PROCEDURE .................................................... 26
3.1 Background of the study area ....................................................................... 26
3.2 Reasons for choosing the study area ............................................................ 40
vii

3.3

Data collection method............................................................................... 41

3.4

Sample and sampling techniques used ....................................................... 42

3.5 Questionnaire design/administration .......................................................... 42

3.6

Reasons for data collection method used ................................................... 43

3.7

limitations and difficulties used .................................................................. 43

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF ANALYSIS ..................................................... 44

4.1 Identification of respondents ........................................................................ 44
4.2 Administration of data collection tools .......................................................... 44
4.3 Analysis of data collected .............................................................................. 44
4.4 Interpretation of results ................................................................................ 49
CHAPTER FIVE: Summary of Findings, Recommendations and Conclusion ........... 55
5.1 Summary of Findings ...................................................................................... 55
5.2 Recommendations ........................................................................................ 55
5.3 Suggestions for further studies ...................................................................... 57
REFERENCES ......................................................................................................... 58
APPENDICES .63

viii

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

TABLES
Table 1: Governors who have ruled the North West Province....................................28
Table 2: Governors who have ruled the NWR.............................................................29
Table 3: Gender of respondents...45
Table 4: Nationality of respondents...45
Table 5: Occupation of respondents..45
Table 6: Awareness of location of the Governors Office46
Table 7: Places where respondents complain.46
Table 8: Reactions of public administrators..46
Table 9: Satisfaction of respondents..47
Table 10: Level of respondents satisfaction.47
Table 11: How easy are services obtained at the Governors Office ............... ...... ...47
Table 12: Examining how services are offered in relation to politics..48
Table 13: Relationship of respondents with the Governors Office.48
Table 14: Manner of approach of the Governor and his cabinet48
Table 15: Awareness of the website of the NWR..49
Table 16: How respondents find the website of the NWR.49
FIGURES
Figure

1:

The

Virtuous

Circle

of

Transparency:

From

Disclosure

to

Responsiveness............................................................................................................14
Figure 2: Level of satisfactions of respondents..........................................................51

ix

ABSTRACT
This study seeks to investigate the role of public relations practice in the promotion
of good governance at the NW Governors Office, which is an institution for public
administration. Governance is the process of decision-making and the process by
which decisions are implemented or not implemented. Good governance then,
centres on the responsibility of governments and governing bodies to meet the
needs of the masses as opposed to select groups in the society.
The Governors Office renders many services to the NW public, irrespective of their
locations. Among these services are; stamping and certification of documents and
the settlement of disputes. During my research period at the Governors Office, I
discovered some lapses in the quality of service delivered and the manner in which
these services were rendered. The research was done through different methods of
data collection, which are interviews, administration of questionnaires, field
observation and analyses of related documents.
The results of the research as analysed in this project shows the perception of
citizens, their levels of satisfaction and their relationships with people in power. At
the end of the analyses, the researcher proposed some recommendations to the
SERCOM on how public relations practice can improve the satisfaction level of the
public, which can lead to good governance in the NW Governors Office.
Key words: Public Relations practice, good governance, public administration

CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

It is a requirement for students of the B-Tech (Bachelor of Technology) program in
National Polytechnic University Institute Bamenda to do an academic research
project on a specific topic related to their field of studies. For the research project
to have a foundation or focus, students are required by the Ministry of Higher
Education to undergo an internship period of at least two months in an
organisation or media house before being eligible to sit for the final examinations.
In this light, I decided to carry out a two-month internship period (from the 7th of
March 2016 to the 1st of May 2016) at the Governors Office of the North West
Region, situated at Up-Station Bamenda.
While there, I took keep interest in the relationship that the Governor and his
cabinet members have with the public, how good governance is been promoted
through the activities of the Office and how useful is the Governors Office to the
Bamenda inhabitants. This then evokes the need for an effective public relation
practice to be used as a toll in promoting good governance at the Governors
Office, which is a public administration area.
Primordially, Governance is "the process of decision-making and the process by
which decisions are implemented (or not implemented)" (Wikipedia, 2016). It can
apply to corporate, international, national, local governance or to the interactions
between other sectors of society. Then Good governance is an indeterminate
1

term used in international development literature to describe how public

institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources. The concept
often emerges as a model to compare ineffective economies or political bodies
with viable economies and political bodies. It centres on the responsibility of
governments and governing bodies to meet the needs of the masses as opposed
to select groups in society.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia defines Public relations (PR) as the practice of
managing the spread of information between an individual or an organization
(such as a business, government agency, or a non-profit organisation) and the
public.
This study seeks to find out whether good governance exists or is promoted in the
public administration through the practice of public relation, and how effective it
is, if at all it is done. Common activities in Public Relations include designing
communications campaigns, writing news/press releases and other content for
news and feature articles. It entails working with the press, arranging interviews
for company spokespeople, writing speeches for administration leaders: acting as
organization's spokesperson by speaking in public and public officials: preparing
the media for press conferences, media interviews, and speeches, writing website
and social media content, facilitating internal/employee communications, and
managing institution reputation and marketing activities like brand awareness
and event management.
The same activities are carried out the North West Governors Office. In addition,
there is the presiding over at events or ceremonies in the North West Region and

providing substantial and enriching information about the entire Region in the
website of NWR hosted by the Communication Service at the Governors Office.
Ipso facto, we can deduce from the above points that PR practice involves
understanding, acceptance, communication, management, cooperation, and
maintenance efforts that exist between an organization and its public, and how
effective PR can be used as a tool to promote good governance in the public
sector in Cameroon.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

There are ten Regions in Cameroon, each headed by a Governor. The Governor is
the representative of the Head of State in the Region. He is answerable to the
Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization as well as the
President of the Republic. The President of the Republic on his own cannot watch
over the nation, same as the Minister of Territorial Administration and
Decentralization, who cannot administer the whole territory on his own. That is
why power has been decentralized to Governors in Region, Senior Divisional
Officers for Division, Divisional Officers in Sub-Division, Government Delegates in
City Councils, District Heads in District and Mayors in Local Councils. The
Governor, being at the Head of the Region receives reports and accounts from all
administrators in his Region, be they private business or government
administrators.
With all these functions and decentralized power, there is need for good
governance to be visible in public administration. Many things can enhance good
governance in the society, but the bone of contention of this study is to examine
the role of Public Relations Practice in the Promotion of Good Governance in
3

Public Administration. This is because PR stands as lifter of good reputation of a

private and government institution.
To further the research, the following questions will broaden our knowledge on
the above topic of the study.

1.3 Research Questions

1) How can Public Relations practice promote Good Governance in the
Governors Office of the NWR?
2) What services does the Governors Office offer to the public?
3) How satisfied is the public with the services rendered at the Governors
Office?
4) What can be done to increase the level of satisfaction of the public who are
beneficiaries of services at the Governors Office?

1.4 Research Hypothesis

1) H1: Public Relations practice promotes Good Governance at the Governors
Office.
2) H0: Public Relations practice does not promote Good Governance at the
Governors Office.

1.5 Objectives/ purpose of the Study

General Objective
To examine the role of public relations practice as a tool used to promote Good
Governance at the NW Governors Office.

 Specific Objectives
1) To examine how Public Relations practice can be used in promoting
good governance at the NW Governors Office.
2) To investigate the level of satisfaction of the public who benefit from
services at the NW Governors Office.
3) Identify ways of improving Public Relations practice and quality
delivery of services at the NW Governors Office.

1.6 Significance of the Study

As Cameroon moves towards emergence, it is important for the government to
feed the public with required services that will keep them satisfied at all levels.
This study serves as an edifying instrument that could be used by those who work
in public offices to know the level of satisfaction with the services they are
rendering to the public, in order to improve in their functions.
Those at the Governors Office, through this study will know their responsibilities
towards the NW population know the grudges of the people and work on their
optimum satisfaction.
This study equally creates awareness for people who seek services from the
Governors Office to understand their rights.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to the Office of the Governor of the North West Region,
which is one of the ten Regions in the Republic of Cameroon. The North West
Region has seven Divisions, 31 Sub-divisions and 32 Councils: a Region with a
population of 1,900,547 per the 2013 estimates and a surface area of 17,300 km2.
5

This study chose this area because of its distances that separate Divisions and
Subdivisions and to understand how people in distant areas with very poor road
network actually benefit from services at the NW Governors Office.

1.8 Definition of terms and abbreviations used

Terms:
Governance: "The process of decision-making and the process by which
decisions are implemented (or not implemented)". The term can apply to
corporate, international, national, local governance or to the interactions
between other sectors of society.

Good Governance: Description of how public institutions conduct public

affairs and manage public resources. The concept emerges as a model to
compare ineffective economies or political bodies with viable economies
and political bodies. It centres on the responsibility of governments and
governing bodies to meet the needs of the masses as opposed to select
groups in society.

Public Relations: It is a strategic communication process that builds

mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.

Public Relations Practice: It is the application of those activities involved in

public relations; Building and managing relationships-Media Relations,
writing speeches, managing company reputation, managing internal
communications, writing news releases and other content for news, writing
for the web, event management and understanding the interests of the
public. The outcomes are; influencing opinion, attitude, and behaviour
change of leaders and policymakers, organizational will, and citizens (public
will) toward supporting governance.

 Public Administration: The implementation of government policy and also

an academic discipline that studies this implementation and prepares civil
servants for working in the public service. It is centrally concerned with the
organization of government policies and programmes as well as the
behaviour of officials (usually non-elected) formally responsible for their
conduct.

Abbreviations:
SERCOM:Communication Service
PR: Public Relations
H1: Alternative Hypothesis
H0: Null Hypothesis
NWR/NW: North West Region/ North West
PRINZ: Public Relations Institute of New Zealand
NPB: National Polytechnic University Institute- Bamenda
PA: Public Administration
TV: Television
RMLS: Reception, Mail and Liaison Service
DRTS: Documentation, Records and Translation Service
FALS: Financial Affairs and Logistic Service
ALAD: Administrative and Legal Affairs Division
DPAO: Division in charge of Policing and Administrative Organisation
RDD: Division in charge of Regional Development
ESCAD: Economic, Social and Cultural Affairs Division

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Literature review

According to Du Plooy, (2002:58)1 almost everything which is researchable
probably connects with an existing neighbouring field thereby making it nave for
an individual to think that there is still a new field in which nothing has been
written before to be exploited.
2.1.1 An overview of Public Relations
There are so many definitions on PR. Edward Louis Bernays2, established the first
definition of public relations in the early 1900s as follows: a management
function, which tabulates public attitudes, defines the policies, procedures and
interests of an organization... followed by executing a program of action to earn
public understanding and acceptance.
According toPRINZ3, Public relations is about strategically planning and managing
communication activities, building relationships and managing reputations. PR
professionals work for a range of organisations, from governments to small
businesses,

and multinationals

to non-profit organisations,

write

and

communicate in a business environment, sponsorship and promotion, internal

communication, persuasion, social media and communicating with diverse
audiences. An effective public relations practitioner needs a wide knowledge of
1

Du Plooy, G.M. (2002). Communication Research, Techniques, Methods, and Applications. Lansdowne: Juta& Co.
Ltd.
2
Edward Bernays, "Organizing Chaos," in Propaganda, (New York: H. Liverlight, 1928), 10.
3
The Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) and leading public relations consultancies

communication, knows how the media works, understands strategy, is culturally

sensitive and has a range of writing, visual and audio skills.In this major you
develop an understanding of reputation management and learn to make ethical
judgments about strategic communication and communication planning.
In August 1978, the World Assembly of Public Relations Associations4 defined the
field as "the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their
consequences, counselling organizational leaders and implementing planned
programs of action, which will serve both the organization and the public
interest.
The Public Relations Society of America5, a professional trade association, defined
public relations in 1982, 2011 and 2012 as: "Public relations helps an organization
and its publics adapt mutually to each other: a strategic communication process
that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their
publics."
Wikipedia crowns it all by defining PR as the practice of managing the spread of
information between an individual or an organization (such as a business,
government agency, or a non-profit organization) and the public. It further says it
may include an organization or individual gaining exposure to their audiences
using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct
payment.This differentiates it from advertising as a form of marketing
communications.

World Assembly of Public Relations Associations (1978)

PRSA's Old Definition of Public Relations, a professional trade association, defined public relations in 1982
as:"Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other."In 2011 and 2012, the PRSA
developed a crowd-sourced definition as seen above.
5

2.1.2 History/Origin of Public Relations

World War I proved to be seminal in demonstrating the power of government
persuasion when all societal resources were mobilized. Throughout the countrys
history, legislation has been enacted to either control or manage governmental
communication efforts. This thought though was in direct conflict with the
underlying principle that democracy relies on a relatively free communication
structure, which provides information and methods of discussing issues to its
citizens so they can make informed decisions6. The 1930s changed the political
landscape irrevocably, and with the change came legitimated government public
relations. The New Deal had to be sold to the electorate. By the time World War II
came, the public relations dimension was a small but accepted part of U.S.
government operations.
Basil Clark is considered the founder of public relations in theUnited Kingdom for
his establishment of Editorial Services in 19247.The second half of the 1900s is
considered the professional development building era of public relations. Trade
associations, PR news magazines, international PR agencies and academic
principles for the profession were established. In the early 2000s, press release
services began offering social media press releases.
According to Cutlip, Scot (1994)8, Public relations has developed into a multimillion dollar industry. Most modern development in public relations are linked
with political reform movements, as public relations is an important part of
politics, playing a major part in who becomes elected and what laws are passed.
What began as a mere publicity has grown to include many other uses from
6

Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia (2016) Main article: History of public relations
L'Etang, Jacquie (2 September 2004). Public Relations in Britain: A History of Professional Practice in the Twentieth
Century. Taylor & Francis.ISBN 978-1-4106-1081-2.Retrieved 22 May 2013.
8
Cutlip, Scott (1994), The Unseen Power: Public Relations: A History, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, ISBN 0-80581464-7
7

10

interpreting public opinion and its impact on an organization to researching ways

of helping a business to maintain its goals.
Public Relations has specific disciplines which include:

Financial public relations communicating financial results and business

strategy

Consumer/lifestyle public relations gaining publicity for a particular

product or service

Crisis communication responding in a crisis

Internal communications communicating within the company itself

Government relations engaging government departments to influence

public policy

Food-centric relations communicating specific information centred on

foods, beverages and wine.

Media Relations a public relations function that involves building and

maintaining close relationships with the news media so that they can sell
and promote a business.

2.1.3 Public Relations Practice in Public Administration

In 1947 Paul H. Appleby9 defined public administration as "public leadership of
public affairs directly responsible for executive action". In a democracy, it has to
do with such leadership and executive action in terms that respect and contribute
to the dignity, the worth, and the potentials of the citizen. The National Centre for
Education Statistics (NCES) in the United States defines the study of public
administration as "A program that prepares individuals to serve as managers in

Appleby, Paul 1947. "Toward Better Public Administration," Public Administration Review Vol. 7, No. 2 pp. 93-99.

11

the executive arm of local, state, and federal government and that focuses on the
systematic study of executive organization and management10.
Public relations in public administration must be approached from a broader
perspective, as the endeavour set into motion by an organization with the explicit
purpose of establishing sympathetic relations with the audience (Dagenais,
1999)11. It has a lot of similarities with Organizational communication, which is
the consideration, analysis, and criticism of the role of communication in
organizational contexts. Its main function is to inform, persuade and promote
goodwill. The flow of communication could be either formal or informal.
Communication flowing through formal channels is downward, horizontal and
upward whereas communication through informal channels is generally termed
as grapevine. From another perspective, as a strategic instrument of
communication, public relations refer to all the measures of institutional
communication initiated by an organization, designed to promote all its
accomplishments and an improved image of the institution from the point of view
of its target audiences, both internal and external (elected representatives and
those belonging to government organizations, union representatives, media
groups, general public) (Lamizet & Silem, 1997)12.
Almost thirty years ago, Steiner (1978)13 began writing about the importance of
communication between government and citizens.He states that the feeling that
government isinadequate is so wide spread that the public sector can no longer
10

Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia (2016), Main article: Public Administration journal
Dagenais, B. (1999), Le mtier de relationniste, Sainte-Foy, Les Presses de lUniversit Laval.
12
Lamizet, B., Silem, A. (19970, Dictionnaire encyclopdique des sciences de linformationet de la communication,
Paris, Ellipses.
13
Steiner, R. (1978). Communication between government and citizen: Open or closed book? Southern Review of
Public Administration, March, 542-561.
11

12

treat critics in anoffhand manner as if they were crackpots or isolated

malcontents who abhor giveaways. He contemplates why government is in this
state and hypothesizes that it could be due to the fact that government is in a
survival mode and not a service mode.He states four main points on how PR or
communication should be operated in Public Administration.
First, an overriding communication objective should be in place to ensure
that every request for information is honoured in as timely and complete a
manner as possible.
Second, a routine mechanism should be created for handling inquiries.
Third, government should strongly resist the idea that it is safer to withhold
information than to have a policy of full disclosure. Information should not
be provided at the convenience of government, but rather in reaction to
the publics right to know.
Fourth, governments role should be more than responding to direct
inquiries. There should be an aggressive information program that should
be truthful, informative, complete, timely and not over-promising.
Wilcox, Cameron, Ault, and Agee (2005)14 included a chapter in their
publicrelations textbook on Politics and Government. They say that there has
always been a need for government communications, if for no other reason than:
to inform citizens of the services available and the manner in which they may be
used. In a democracy, public information is crucial if citizens are to make
intelligent judgments about the policies and activities of their elected

14

Wilcox, D. L., Cameron, G. T., Ault, P. H., Agee, W. K. (2005). Public relations: Strategies and tactics. Boston, MA:
Pearsons Education, Inc.

13

representatives. Through information it is hoped that citizens will have the

necessary information to participate fully in the formation of government policies.
The virtuous circle is completed as government practices become more open and
more responsive to citizens15

Fig. 1: The Virtuous Circle of Transparency: From Disclosure to Responsiveness

Source: World Bank, Global Monitoring Report, 2006
Therefore, communication has a number of roles to play in promoting good
governance. Communication can improve communities ability to identify and
articulate their needs and to measure government performance. It can improve
government responsiveness by improving citizens understanding oftheir rights
and building their capacity to engage in public dialogue andpublic affairs. It can
improve government performance by providing citizens with direct information
on the performance of government and equipping them with the information
required to hold government to account. Communication can also build social
capital by encouraging networks andsocial movements around particular issues.
Communication is therefore seen as essential to all components of DFIDs

15

World Bank, Global Monitoring Report, 2006: Referred pdf document from Enterplan, a Detailed Analysis on
The Role of Communication in Governance. A project entitled "ICD Knowledge Sharing and Learning Programme".
The work was carried out by members of the Gamos Consortium. www.ic4dev.org/.
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTGLOBALMONITORING2006/Resources/21866
25-1145565069381/GMR06_ch06.pdf

14

capability, accountability and responsiveness (CAR) framework and the World

Banks definition of good governance.16
In many developing countries, there are real structural and political barriers which
hinder both the capacity and incentives of governments to produce information,
and the ability of citizens to claim their right to information and to use it to
demand better governance and public services. These barriers include:
Government may not be actively supportive of the right to information,
particularly in contextswhere there is a legacy of undemocratic political systems
or closed government.
Citizens may not be aware of their legal right to information, or, in some cases
may be reluctant to assert it, either because of fear of a repressive regime, or a
prevailing culture of not questioning authority. In other cases, there are structural
barriers to poor people accessing and using information. For example, access to
the Internet remains low in many developing countries, particularly in remote
areas.
The capacity of public bodies to provide information may be weak, and officials
may beunaware of their obligations. In low capacity environments, record
management and statistics generation may be insufficient to support access to
information.17
William Ragan, (as cited in Wilcox et al., 2005)18 states that the objectives
ofgovernment information efforts should be to inform the public about the
publics business; improve the effectiveness of agency operations through

16

Ibid
Daruwala, M. and Nayak, V. (eds), 2007, 'Our Rights, Our Information: Empowering People to Demand Rights
through Knowledge', Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, New Delhi: Topic Guide on Communication and
Governance, GSDRC / CommGAP http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3078
18
Wilcox, D. L., Cameron, G. T., Ault, P. H., Agee, W. K. (2005). Public relations: Strategies and tactics. Boston,
MA: Pearsons Education, Inc.
17

15

appropriate public information techniques; provide feedback to government

administrators so that programs and policies can be modified, amended or
continued; advise management on how best to communicate a decision or a
program to the widest number of citizens; serve as an ombudsman by
representing the public and listening to representatives; and educate
administrators and bureaucrats about the role of the mass media and how towork
with them.
Heise (1985)19 further points out that: Even those writers, who acknowledge that
informing the public is a vitalfunction of democratic government, usually
emphasize the informationdispensingrole of government, showing little sensitivity
to the fact thateffective public communication is, at a minimum, a two-way
process.
Lee (2002)20 focused on the duty of public reporting in public administration
because of the democratic context in which government exists. Government
agencies contribute to an informed citizenry by public reporting on agency
activities. A lack of data on the field of government public relations exists.
Federal, state and local levels have no costs of how much they spend on public
relations.
PR is essentially a communication activity. If PR refers to the management of
communication between an organization and its target audience, based on public
interest, the ones in charge with communication from within the public institution
must constantly be in close proximity of the target audiences, they should be
capable of differentiating their communication needs and they must design and
19

HEISE J.A. (1985), Toward closing the confidence gap: An alternative approach to communication between
public and government, Public Administration Quarterly, vol. 9, n. 2, pp. 196-218. Government, Public
Administration Quarterly, vol. 9, n. 2, pp. 196-218.
20
Lee, M. (2002), Intersectoral differences in public affairs: The duty of public reporting in public administration.
Journal of Public Affairs, 2, 2, 33-44.

16

convey messages according to the target audiences characteristics and follow the
feedback accordingly.
PR could be considered a public communication strategy. PR, as a public
communication strategy, generates a climate and state of social normality.
Especially in democratic societies, PR plays the part of generator of
communication flows between public institutions, citizens and stakeholders, so
that public institutions could become acquainted with the real concerns of the
citizens and that the citizens, in return, could trust the institutions and the public
officers (Iacob & Cismaru, 2003).21
In the media domain, public information policy of the institutions may be reactive
(i.e. simply reacting to information already in the media, either mass or public) or
active (the institutions are prepared at any time for disseminating messages
through internal and external channels of communication): knowing the profile of
the media; establishing the contact and maintaining an informational flow
towards the media, using PR techniques; monitoring and evaluating the media
messages. This justifies the establishment of PR structures.

2.1.4 Channels of PR Strategy

It is necessary above all to mention the PR strategies in this study. Umakanta
Mohapatra (2012)22 says the Action Frame of PR strategy has to be based on
developmental dynamics like1. Diffusion & Maintenance of the values of high Growth momentum and faster
poverty reduction.

21

Iacob, D., Cismaru, D.M. (2003), Relaiipublice.Eficienprincomunicare, EdituraComunicare, Bucureti.

Umakanta Mohapatra (December 2012) P.R. Approach in Good Governance: A Prelude to Action Frame of
Reference, Odisha Review. He is P.R.O. to Chief Secretary, Odisha Secretariat, Bhubaneswar.
22

17

2. Catalyzing implementation of Public Service Delivery.

3. Organizing and conducting Need Assessment studies of local communities
through interpersonal relationship with one and all in the community.
4. Developing a near real time data base of skill maps of the communities vis-avis their need and aspirations.
5. Mobilization of newly formed Organs of Peoples Participation, Parents
Committees, Common Interest Groups etc. And ensuring their participation in
human development indicators particularly in fields of functional literacy, public
health,

total

sanitation,

renewable sources

of

energy,

environmental

regeneration, and maintenance of sex ratio.

6. Making people aware to utilize available opportunities for creation of new
means of livelihood.
7. Disseminating reliable and specific information on venturing micro-level
entrepreneurship in the field of agro-industries, mechanization of agricultural
operations and downstream industries.
8. Mobilizing people for Community management and appropriate utilization of
natural resources.
Umakanta (2012)23 still thinks that the success of PR strategy lies in ensuring
Accurate Communication, Appropriate Motivation & Adequate Counselling
which can be achieved through two principal outlets:
(1) Reaching People Directly and
(2) Reaching People through Media.
Of course, these two outlets are not separable to water tight compartments and
there are marked continuum between the two. Both these outlets have their
23

Ibid

18

utility and limitations. The areas and degree of their effectiveness also varies. At
times an integrated approach involving both these outlets yields greater and
quicker results.
(1) Reaching People Directly involves Outlets like
i. Interpersonal Communication.
ii. Intra-group and Inter-group Meetings
iii. Organization of Public Debates &Conducting street corner meetings
iv. Carrying Feed-back from beneficiaries, stake holders and moulders of public
opinion.
v. Organization of Exhibitions both static and mobile.
vi. Conduct of Road shows.
vii. Arrangement of Exposure Visits.
viii. Organization of Meets & Get- Together Camps.
ix. Organization of Orientation Camps/ TrainingCamps/ Refresher Meets
x. Organization of infotainment programmes like street plays, play shows, and
cultural evenings.
xi. Establishment and management of ICTKiosks
xii. Establishment and management of Citizen Facilitation Centres.
xiii. Organization of seminars, workshops and stakeholder meets.24
(2) Reaching People through Media involves outlets of outdoor and
intermediarymedia instruments of which the major ones are:
i. Print Media like Newspapers/weeklies, / periodicals
ii. Electronics Media like TV Channels
iii. Signature and opinion boards
24

Ibid

19

iv. Leaflets & handouts

v. e- Social Media like, Facebook, Google, Twitter, My-space
vi. Cinema and video shows
vii. Market Places
viii. Traffic Stands & Booths
ix. Conspicuous Places in Public Utilities
x. Digital Board
xi. Traditional Media
xii. Mobile Vans
xiii. Public Galleries
xiv. Public Bus Back Panels
xxii. Decorative Poles
2.1.5 Promoting good governance through public relations
Good governance has eight major characteristics. It is Participatory, Consensus
Oriented, Accountable, Transparent, Responsive, Effective and Efficient, Equitable
and Inclusive and follows the rule of law. It is also responsible for present and
future needs of the society. Frankly speaking, when any of the eight major
characteristics is left behind, the concept of good governance turns to bad
governance. Transparency in public administration and public involvement in
policy making, as fundamental elements of good governance, require strong
government communications practices. This project focuses on building the
capacity of the Governments core bodies tasked with communicating key
government policies and strategic initiatives to domestic publics.

20

The outputs of this section are:

1. Building regional cooperation in communication practices through exchange of
knowledge and experience, raising common issues
2. Building capacity of the PA to exercise greater influence on policy makers and
encourage more public involvement in decision making process
3. Create a community of practice among government communication
professions, facilitate the exchange of expertise and enhance the sense of group
identity and togetherness
4. Strengthening the capacities of the Governors Office for improved
communication
Wherever there is good governance, there seems to be peace and security which
encourages investment and development. The government needs to explain to
the public the reasons behind its slow to progress which could be a tangible
reason. This means that the government also needs the activities of the Public
Relations practice. There is no doubt of the fact the PR has huge tasks to play in
support of good governance. It creates mutual understanding between the
government and the host communities. In Propaganda (1928)25, Bernays argued
that the manipulation of public opinion was a necessary part of democracy. In
public relations, lobby groups are created to influence government policy,
corporate policy or public opinion, typically in a way that benefits the sponsoring
organization.
Talking of government, the Government public relations contributes to:
Implementation of public policy.

25

Edward Bernays, "The New Propagandists," in Propaganda, (New York: H. Liverlight, 1928), 38.

21

 Assisting the news media in coverage of government activities.

Reporting the citizenry on agency activities.
Increasing the internal cohesion of the agency.
Increasing the agencys sensitive to its publics.
Mobilisation of support for the agency itself.
Lack of these, according to Aamir Khan (2012)26 will lead to PR problems like
Lack of Transparency
Public Apathy
Bewilderment
Bureaucracy Stranglehold
Politicians Interference
Vote Bank Pressure
Low Literacy Level
Governments Poor Image
There are three primary functions of government communication: informing,
advocating/persuading (for policies and reforms), and engaging citizens.
Communication represents an important function of government, responsible for
improving three principle elements of government: effectiveness (building broad
support and legitimacy for programs), responsiveness (knowing citizens needs
and responding to them), and accountability (explaining government stewardship
and providing mechanisms to hold governments accountable).
Neglecting to provide information to the public represents a serious impediment
to governance, and underscoring the benefits of improved government
communication has a strong multiplier effect. Governments need to be made
26

Aamir Khan (2012) Role of Public Relations in Government Sector in India

22

aware of the incentives for communicating. Governments often dont realize that
communication

is

part

of

their

job

and

is

fundamental

to

their

functioning.Government communication involves not only sending out persuasive

messages to the public, but also explaining working policies, creating awareness
of the rights of citizens, and developing mechanisms that enable two-way
communication between citizens and government. It is not government
propaganda. (Steven Livingston, 2009)27

Government communication in more than just a crisis management tool, but

rather involves a variety of useful elements, such as consulting for policy-making,
achieving

consensus,

raising

awareness,

changing

behaviour,

fostering

transparency and civic education, as well as listening to/feeling the pulse of

society. Two-way communication between the government and the public
produces governance outcomes that are of higher quality and more sustainable
(many governments do not have sufficient capacity for effective one-way
communication). Consulting and engaging the public should not be limited to
elections, crises, and politically risky issues. Governments need to be aware that if
they dont communicate, opposing forces may dominate the public agenda.
Showing citizens that the government is listening may be as important as actually
listening. (Robin Brown, 2009)28
When governments communicate effectively, crises can be averted. Focusing on
responsive government, media development, and communication in support of

27

Steven Livingston, Rapporteurs Report onThe Communication Functions of Government: at the George
Washington Universitys Elliott School for International Affairs, February 19, 2009, 9 am to 4 pm.
28
Robin Brown, 2009: Rapporteurs Report on the Success and Failure in Building Government Communication
Capacity at the University of Leeds

23

various development goals represents an effective approach to promote

government communication capacity. (Sina Odugbemi, 2009)29

2.2 Theoretical framework

According to the Oxford dictionary (7th Edition)30, a theory is a formal set of ideas
that is intended to explain why something happens or exists. It can also be a
formal statement of the rules on which a subject of study is based or of ideas
which are suggested to explain a fact or event or more generally, an opinion or
explanation.
There are two main theories of Public Relations which are all theories of
relationships. Situational Theory and Systems Theory
The researcher used the Systems Theory31 in this study. It looks at organizations
as made up of interrelated parts, adapting and adjusting to changes in the
political, economic, and social environments in which they operate. Organizations
with open systems use public relations people to bring back information on how
productive their relationships are with clients, customers, and otherstakeholders.
Organizations with closed systems do not seek new information. The decision
makers operate on what happened in the past or on their personal preferences.
If decision makers keep their systems open, they allow for the two-way flow of
resources and information between the organization and its environment. They
use that information for adapting to the environment, or they may use the
29

Sina Odugbemi, 2009:Rapporteurs Report on Promoting Government Communication Capacity in International

Development: at the George Washington Universitys Elliott School for International Affairs, February 19, 2009, 9
am to 4 pm: for the Communication for Governance and Accountability Program (CommGAP), The World Bank
30
th
Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, International Students Edition (7 Edition). Oxford University Press:
www.oup.com/elt/oald
31
Edwards, L., (2006) Systems theories: emergence of public relations research. In R. Tench & L. Yeomans. (Eds.),
Exploring Public Relations (pp.143-164). Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd.

24

incoming information to try to control the environment. For example, to control

potentially negative media stories. Especially the private media in Cameroon
which always take note the ill in the government (Vada Manager, 2004)32,

2.3 Linking literature review to current study

It is quite comforting to know that many people have written information related
to this study. Using the systems theory, one can deduce that organisations, be
they public or private can establish a rigorous relationship with their publics or
clients. Since citizens in the NW Region comprise the clients or publics in this
study, we see that no one is exempted in PR. People need the PA to be
accountable and the government expects people to be participative, while they
satisfy the peoples needs in the society. For things to work hand in glove, the PA
provides information to citizens and be innovative in their dealings with the
population while keeping them continuously satisfied. It is in all these that good
governance can be seen in the PA and the society.

32

Vada Manager, Integrated Issues Management, Strategic Communication Management 8, no. 6 (2004), p. 4.

25

CHAPTER THREE
METHODS AND PROCEDURE

3.1 Background of the study area

The Governors Office of the North West is a government office representing the
central authorities regionally. It is like the presidency of the Region. The North
West Region (French: Rgion du Nord-Ouest) of Cameroon is part of the territory
of the Southern Cameroons, found in the western highlands of Cameroon. It is
bordered to the southwest by the Southwest Region, to the south by the West
Region, to the east by the Adamawa Region, and to the north by the Federal
Republic of Nigeria. The North West Region formally called North West Province is
made up of administrative divisions. The province was created in 1972 with five
divisions or departments; Bui, Donga-Mantung, Menchum, Mezam and Momo.
Today, it has seven divisions, the additions being Boyo, which was curved out of
the Menchum division, and Ngoketunjia, split off from the Mezam division. Each
division is further subdivided, with thirty-one (31) total subdivision in the
Northwest. It has a population of about 1.9 million as of the 2013 estimates and
was known as the third most populated region in Cameroon. Its capital which is
also the major metropolitan city is Bamenda, with smaller towns such as Wum,
Kumbo, Mbengwi, Ndop, Nkambe, Batibo, Bambui, Bambili and Oshie. The basic
unit of local government is the council, and there are thirty-two (32) councils in
the Region. In 2008, the President of the Republic of Cameroon, Paul Biya, signed
decrees abolishing Provinces and replacing them with Region. The Northwest
Province subsequently became the Northwest Region. In the regions, the social
organisation recognises a chief as its head, also called the Fon. The Fons, who in
26

their tribal area may be more influential than the official administrative
authorities, are considered the living representatives of the tribal ancestors.
The Office of the Governor of the NWR is found at Up-Station Bamenda or Mile 1.
And it stands at the gateway to the entrance to the Bamenda City. The Governor
is the head of the Region. He is appointed by decree of the President of the
Republic and is the custodian of the state authority in the region. So far, 13
Governors have ruled the North West Province and two (2) Governors have ruled
the North West Region with one (H.E Adolphe LELE LAFRIQUE TCHOFFO DEBEN)
still ruling the Region. All these can be better illustrated in the tables overleaf.

27

GOVERNORS WHO HAVE RULED THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE SINCE ITS CREATION
NO

NAME AND
SURNAME

GUILLAUME NSEKE

ENOW TANJONG

3
4
5

ABOUEM ATCHOYI
JOHN ANDELA
ALEXANDA
MOTANGA
WALSON NTUBA

DATE OF
ASSUMPTION OF
COMMAND
th
6 SEPTEMBER 1972

8
9
10
11
12
13

OBSERVATION

14th DECEMBER
1974
th
14 DECEMBER 1974 4th OCTOBER 1976
4th OCTOBER 1976
31st AUGUST 1983
9th MARCH 1984

24th SEPTEMBER
1985
7 MAGLOIRE NGUIAMBA 13th OCTOBER 1989
6

DEPARTURE DATE

2yrs, 3mths,
8days
1yr, 8mths,
20days
st
31 AUGUST 1983
6years, 9months
th
9 MARCH 1984
6years, 9months
th
24 SEPTEMBER
1yr, 6months,
1985
4days
th
13 OCTOBER 1989 4years, 19days
16th APRIL 1991

1year, 6mths,
3days
th
th
JOHN EBONG NGOLE 16 APRIL 1991
18 SEPTEMBER
1year, 5mths,
1992
2days
th
th
BELL LUC RENE
18 SEPTEMBER
19 OCTOBER 1996 4years, 1mth,
1992
1day
th
th
FAI YENGO FRANCIS
19 OCTOBER 1996
28 JULY 1998
1year, 9mths,
9days
ADRIEN KOUAMBO
28th JULY 1998
27th MARCH 2003
4years, 9months
th
th
KOUMPA ISSA
27 MARCH 2003
10 DECEMBER
4yrs, 8mths.
2007
14days
ABAKAR AHAMAT
10th DECEMBER 2007 5th FEBRUARY 2010 2yrs, 1mth,
26days
Table 1: Governors who have ruled the North West Province

28

GOVERNORS WHO HAVE RULED THE NORTH WEST REGION

N0
NAME AND
DATE OF
DEPARTURE DATE
OBSERVATION
SURNAME
ASSUMPTION OF
C0MMAND
1
ABAKAR AHAMAT
5th FEBRUARY 2010
14th MARCH 2012
2Yrs, 1mth,
9days
2
LELE LAFRIQUE
14th MARCH 2012
Table 2: Governors who have ruled the NWR

29

3.1.1 organigram of the governors office- nwr

Governor
Private
Secretary
GENERAL Inspectorate

Secretary GENERAL

CABINET
IRSAP

RDD

ESCAD

ALAD

DPOA

IRSTD
SDAT
COMMUNICATION
SERVICE

PROTOCOL

FALS

SACL

SECURITY

CE
1

CE
2

CE
1

CE
2

CE
3

CE
1

CE
2

DRAWN BY: NAAH Kenneth TOH in collaboration with Chief ALAD

and ARNOULD Emmanuel (intern at the Governors Office)
30

CE
1

CE
2

3.1.2 Organizational structure and Activities of the Governors

Office
Activities of the Governor
The Governor, a Senior Officer/Administrator appointed by decree of the
President of the Republic, is the custodian of State authority in the Region. He is the
head of the administrative units, the Region is under his authority and he represents
the President of the Republic in Region.
In that capacity, he
- Represents the State in all acts of civil life, and before the law;
- Ensures the compliance with an application of the laws, regulations and
decisions of the Government.
- Ensures implementation of economic and social development programs.
- Ensures the maintenance of public order, in application of the laws and
regulations in force.
- Takes necessary measures to preserve social peace and the proper functioning
of the de-concentrated services of the state within the region.
- Ensures, where necessary, that continuity of service delivery to the public is
effective in the government departments and bodies in the region.
- Maintains relations with consular posts.
-

In general, he carries out all the duties assigned to him by the central

authority.
- He ensures, under the authority of the competent ministers, for the general
supervision, coordination and control of the activities of de-concentrated
government services in the Region, excluding those under the Ministry of
Justice.
31

- He is informed of copies of correspondence from the minister of deconcentrated services.

- He ensures the transmission of correspondence from services.
- He takes any coordination measures he deems necessary.
- Presides over all administrative or technical meetings and commission which
concerns de-concentrated government services in the region, excluding those
for separate instruments confer such powers to other authorities.
- He manages civil servants and state employees in the de-concentrated
government services in the Region, excluding those under the Ministries of
Justice, the Armed Forces and National Security.
- He recruits and dismisses personnel recruited by decision who serve in deconcentrated

government service in the region.

- Awards the first mark to the Secretary General, Inspectors General and Senior
Divisional Officer of Regional Services.
- Awards concluding marks to heads of divisions, research officers and assistant
SDO and to heads of de-concentrated technical government services.
- Grants advancement to employees of categories 1 to 6 and manage auxiliary
staff in de-concentrated government services.
- The Governor grants annual, maternity, paternity leave to personnel of the deconcentrated government services.
- Grants special and casual leave to personnel of the said service within the
limits.
- Transfers personnel not holding duty post from one division to another or
from one service to another.
- Placing on records cases of unauthorized absences by personnel.

32

- The Governor has wide disciplinary powers over all personnel of deconcentrated government services in the region
- Issues congratulatory and encouragement letters to deserving personnel of his
office.
- Issues warnings and reprimands to civil servants of his office.
- Manages financial resources of de-concentrated government services.
- Reports periodically the coordination action to the President of the Republic
- He appoints bureau heads in his office and other competent officers of deconcentrated government services in the Region.
- He is always informed of all matters of special importance by the heads of deconcentrated government services, as well as officers of public and Para public
establishments and bodies located in the region.
- The Governor recourses the use of the police force, the gendarmerie and the
army in compliance with the laws and regulations which stipulates the
conditions of use of those forces
- In case of threats to the internal or external security of the state or a breach of
law and order, the Governor takes all necessary steps towards establishing all
crimes and offences committed and bringing offenders before the courts.
- He supervise and control the management of credits allocated to the services
of his office, to administrative authorities as well as to de-concentrated
services of the state in the region.
For the Governor to effectively carry out his activities, he has some services under his
authority to enable him discharge his duties.
These services comprise of:
- A Private Secretariat;
33

- A Cabinet;
- A Regional Services Inspectorate;
- A General Secretariat of the Governors Office.
The Private Secretariat
Under the authority of the Private Secretary appointed by decision of the
Governor, the Private Secretariat:
- Records, processes, files, disseminate and follow up confidential mails.
- Treats the Governors private matters.
- Does the maintenance and functioning of the communication facilities.
The Cabinet
Under the authority of a Head of Cabinet, the Cabinet of the Governor is in
charge of the following:
- in charge of special matters
-

audiences and protocol

- decoration and awards

- organising the Governors missions and trips
- ensuring the Governors security
- issues relating to security, public order and relations with the military
authority, the police forces and the gendarmerie
- Issues relating to arms and munitions.
The Cabinet shall comprise of:
- the Communication Service
34

- the Protocol Service

- the Security Service
The Communication Service (SERCOM)
Under the authority of a service head, the Communication Service is responsible for;
- implementing the Governors communication strategy
- promoting the image of the Region
- collecting, analysing, and preserving the Regions newspaper and audiovisual
documents

The Protocol Service

Under the authority of a service head, the Protocol Service is responsible for:
- protocol and organisation of ceremonies attended by the Governor
- decorations and awards
- maintaining relations with consular posts
The Security Service
Under the authority of a service head, the Security Service is responsible for;
- The Governors security
- Issues relating to security, public order and relations with the military
authority, the police force and the gendarmerie
- Issues relating to arms and munitions.
The General Inspectorate of Regional Services
The General Inspectorate is headed by an Inspector General. The IGRS is
35

assisted by 2 (two) Inspectors, responsible for divisional administrative services

(IGDAS) and de-concentrated technical services (IGDTS), respectively. The General
Inspectorate of Regional Services is responsible for;
- ensuring the internal control and evaluation

of the functioning of the

Governors Office, as well as of divisional and sub-divisional offices

- organising and supervising the control and evaluation missions to deconcentrated government services in the Region
- informing the Governor and the central authority on the performance and
output of the services
- organising sensitization and retraining seminars aimed at modernizing and
improving the performance of those services
- implementing at the level of the Region, the anti-corruption strategy
- Forwards reports of the control mission to the Governor and the Minister in
charge of territorial administration and the Minister whose services had been
inspected
- The IGRS is granted delegation of signature.
The General Secretariat
The General Secretariat shall be headed by a senior officer appointed by
decree of the President of the Republic. Under the authority of the Governor, the SG
processes files, and executes decisions taken by the Governor.
- He is granted the necessary delegation of signing
- He coordinates the activities of Governors Office
- Defines and codify internal procedures for services under his authority
- Sees to continuous staff training and retraining
- Ensures that files are processed promptly, centralise records and manages the
36

documentation of the Governors Office.

The General Secretariat comprises the following:
- the Reception, Mail and Liaison Service
- the Documentation, Records and Translation Service
- the Financial Affairs and Logistics Service
- the Administrative and Legal Affairs Division
- the Division in charge of Policing and Administrative Organisation
- the Economic, Social and Cultural Affairs Division
- the Division in charge of Regional Development
The RMLS (Reception, Mail and Liaison Service)
Under the authority of a service head, the Reception, Mail and Liaison Service
caries out the following activities:
- handling inquiries from users
- receiving, recording, distribution and dispatching mail
- transmissions
- typing and photocopying correspondence and other documents
The DRTS (Documentation, Records and Translation Service)
Under the authority of a service head, the DRTS carries out the following
activities:
- preserving, filing and managing documentation and records
- effecting translation of routine documents in English or in French
The FALS (Financial Affairs and Logistic Service)
Under the authority of a service head, the FALS carries out the following activities:

37

- ensures the maintenance of the of the premises and equipments

- managing and maintaining communication and transport facilities
- preparing budget of the Governors Office and monitoring the execution
thereof
- handling issues of a financial and accounting nature
- monitoring regulations on public contracts and the execution
The ALAD (Administrative and Legal Affairs Division)
The ALAD service is headed by a divisional head who is assisted by two (2) research
officers. This service is responsible for the following activities:
- disseminating laws and statutory instruments from the central authority
- preparing and finalizing all drafts of instruments submitted to the Governor for
signature
- handling disputes in conjunction with relevant services
- monitoring issues relating to town planning, property and state lands
- handling issues relating to the administrative organisation of the territory
- keeping and updating a card index on administrative units and traditional
authorities
- managing personnel, dealing with disciplinary matters and related disputes
The DPAO (Division in charge of Policing and Administrative Organisation)
The DPAO service is headed by a head of division. Assisted by two (2) research
officers, the DPAO carries out the following:
- examining issues and events of a political nature
- ,monitoring the activities of political parties and associations
- handling matters relating to civil status and nationality
38

- monitoring the exercise of public liberties

- handling matters relating to national defence, military preparation, internal
and external security of the state
- monitoring and coordinating activities of SDOs and DOs
- handling matters relating to disputes over boundaries of administrative and
traditional chiefdoms
- handling matters relating to the management and functioning of traditional
chiefdoms
The ESCAD (Economic, Social and Cultural Affairs Division)
Under the authority of a head of division assisted by three research officers, the
ESCAD service carries out the following activities:
- coordinating and monitoring projects, public and private entities as well as
non-governmental organisations working in the economy, social, cultural and
sport domains within the Region
- centralising the economic documentation concerning the region
- preparing regional economic summary reports
- coordinating the economic activities of administrative units and deconcentrated services
- Liaising with consular chambers and private and administrative bodies for the
promotion of economic activities.
- Civil defence.
- Handling all issues relating to public health, education, social aid and security,
youths, sports as well as leisure and tourism.

39

The RDD (Division in charge of Regional Development)

The RDD service is headed by a head of division who is assisted by two research
officers, who assist her to do the following activities:
- Carry out issues relating to regional development and land use management
- Assisting the Governor in the exercise of the states supervisory authority over
the Region
- Providing advisory support for harmonious functioning of the region and its
institutions
- Examining disputes files concerning enactments of the Region
- Ensuring budgetary control and monitoring the legality of enactments by
regional and local authorities
- Providing assistance for the institutional development of the Region
- Monitoring the preparation and implementation of regional and local plans, as
well as the regional land use management plans
- Monitoring the activities of regional development missions and committees.

3.2 Reasons for choosing the study area

My primordial aim of choosing the study area was because I was interested in public
relations practice in governance: for convenient purposes I chose the NWR because it
is my resident Region. So I understand the topography and climate of the area.
Secondly, I was curious to know the type of services rendered to people at the NW
Governors Office.
I equally wanted to see how people can benefit from services at the Governors
Office, knowing that the NWR has a complicated topography with people coming
from remote areas with bad roads.
40

The time allocation for the study was too short to take two places for the research or
add an area that was new to me. So among the choices I had, the NW Governors
Office was the best.

3.3 Data collection method

I used two main methods in collecting my data: Primary and Secondary sources
Primary sources
Administration of Questionnaires: This was distributed to some beneficiaries of the
services from the NW Governors Office. A sample of 25 persons were taken (that is,
25 questionnaires were distributed) with each respondent answering 13 questions in
the questionnaire.
Field observation: Being at the Governors Office, I took keen observation on how
things were done, how people were treated, how issues were handled, how protocol
was respected and how the communication service carried out its activities vis-a-vis
the activities of the Governor and his collaborators.
Informal interviews: Here, I discussed with few people to know their point of views
regarding my topic of study and also for them to add more flesh that can be used in
strengthening my study.

Secondary sources
Review of documents: In this work, documentsand booksreviewed were acquired
from the archives at the Governors Office, NPB library and electronic books.
Internet: Information on this topic or study area was also downloaded from the
websites of institutions, individuals and blogs. The information was gotten using
search engines such as Google, Wikipedia, Yahoo, Wikihow, etc.

41

3.4 Sample and sampling techniques used

For this study, I have used the Stratified Random Sampling Technique because I am
interested in those people who have been to any PA for services, especially to the
Governors Office, irrespective of their differences, nationality, gender or walks of
life. For this sampling technique, I administered 25 questionnaires for 25
respondents.

3.5 Questionnaire design/administration

My questionnaire was structured in two main ways: eight open ended questions and
five close ended questions, summing up to 13 questions. This was all in a bit to
analyse
The level of awareness of people concerning services of the Governors Office,
The conception that people have regarding the Governors Office,
The reputation of the Governor and his collaborators and
The level of satisfaction that people derive in rushing to the NW Governors
Office for help.
After the approval of the questionnaires, I printed 25 copies to be administered to 25
people. I pre-tested five (05) of the 25 on five respondents on the 18th of May, 2016,
to see how well they understood the questions posed in the questionnaires. Having a
smooth process and positive reaction from the five, I then administered the rest 20
to other beneficiaries of service from the NW Governors Office. That was from the
25th to the 27th of May, 2016.

42

3.5 Reasons for data collection method used

The following reasons say why I chose the above method for my data collection
I used questionnaire because it is a reliable and verifiable tool of collecting
information from a diverse respondents in nearly all walks of life.
Through field observation, I was able to see, analyse and draw a dichotomy in
the relationship that the Governors Office has with the public.
Informal interviews made me see the extent to which some respondents could
love or hate the manner in which people in public administration operate,
though many chose to stay anonymous.
Secondary sources like review of documents and the internet, especially the
internet, gave me lots of information that roam around my topic: be they in
the form of PDF documents, Wikipedia and other websites explanations and
samples of other research projects.

3.6 Limitations and difficulties used

The number of respondents I have dealt with is small. This does not really
permit me to generalize the results of my research because I sampled a
population of just 25 respondents out of a population over 1.8 million persons
that the NWR accommodates.
Secondly, I had transportation difficulties. Meeting stake holders at their
convenience, time and place created another burden, especially for the
administration of questionnaires.
Lastly, the financial cost of carrying out the research was much. The electronic
books I got came from the internet (cyber cost) and airtime, calling sources to
have or lend their write-ups.

43

CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION OF ANALYSIS

4.1 Identification of respondents

A sample of 25 respondents was made in this study made of men and women (with
women having a leading number). The majority of them are comprised of students,
civil servants and business persons who know where the NW Governors Office is
situated and go there for services.

4.2 Administration of data collection tools

Information from primary and secondary sources was used in collecting data. The
primary sources involve questionnaires, interviews and field observation while
secondary sources incorporated the use of published and unpublished materials like
reports, text books, projects, PDFs and the internet.
A two-page questionnaire was designed, comprising of 13 questions for 25
respondents. It was administered to some students in National Polytechnic
University Institute- Bamenda: to business persons and civil servants in their
establishments and at the Governors Office where a cue always stands to meet the
Governor. While they await their turns to meet either the Governor or any of his
collaborators, I administer my questionnaires and set informal interviews.

4.3 Analysis of data collected

Below is the presentation of the data collected from the questionnaires administered
to respondents, which as previously stated, counts to 25 of them, comprising of
students, business persons and civil servants, being Cameroonians and foreigners.
44

Question 1: What is your gender?

Answer

Respondents

Percentage

Male

12

48%

Female

13

52%

Total

25

100%

Table 3: Gender of respondents

Question 2: What is your nationality?
Answer

Respondents

Percentage

Cameroonian

22

88%

Others

03

12%

Total

25

100%

Table 4: Nationality of respondents

Question 3: What is your occupation?
Answer

Respondents

Percentage

Student

06

24%

Civil servants

11

44%

Business person

06

24%

Others

02

08%

Total
25
Table 5: Occupation of respondents

100%

45

Question 4: Do you know where the Governors Office is situated in the NWRCameroon?
Answer

Respondents

Percentage

Yes

25

100%

No

00

00%

Total

25

100%

Table 6: Awareness of location of the Governors Office

Question 5: Where do you lay your complaints when offended?
Answer

Respondents

Percentage

The Governors Office

10

40%

The Police Station

12

48%

City Council

01

04%

No idea

02

08%

Total

25

100%

Table 7: Places where respondents complain

Question 6: How do you find their reactions?
Answer

Respondents

Percentage

Discouraging

05

21%

Satisfactory

11

47%

Pathetic

07

30%

Total

23

98%

Table 8: Reactions of public administrators

46

Question 7: Do you derive satisfaction when you seek a service from the
Governors Office?
Answer

Respondents

Percentage

Yes

21

84%

No

04

16%

Total

25

100%

Table 9: Satisfaction of respondents

Question 7 (i): What is the level of this satisfaction?
Answer

Respondents

Percentage

80-100%

04

16%

50-80%

13

52%

30-50%

06

24%

10-30%

02

08%

Total

25

100%

Table 10: Level of respondents satisfaction

Question 8: How do you find the follow-up of documents at the Governors Office?
Answer

Respondents

Percentage

Tedious

03

12%

Smooth

06

24%

Frustrating

02

08%

Time consuming

10

40%

Encouraging

04

16%

Total

25

100%

Table 11: How easy are services obtained at the Governors Office.
47

Question 9: Is information politicised at the Governors Office?

Answer

Respondents

Percentage

Yes

19

76%

No

06

24%

Total

25

100%

Table 12: Examining the how services are offered in relation to politics
Question 10: What is your relationship with the NW Governor or/and his cabinet?
Answer

Respondents

Percentage

Cordial

10

40%

Corporate

05

20%

No relationship

08

32%

Casual

02

08%

Total

25

100%

Table 13: Relationship of respondents with the Governors Office

Question 11: What manner of approach does the Governor and his cabinet take to
tackle issues?
Answer

Respondents

Percentage

Friendly

08

32%

Simple but efficient

08

32%

03

12%

06

24%

25

100%

Strict
Too administrative
Total

Table 14: Manner of approach of the Governor and his cabinet

48

Question 12: Do you visit the website of the NWR which is operated by the
Communication Service at the NW Governors Office?
Answer

Respondents

Percentage

Yes

06

24%

No

19

76%

Total

25

100%

Table 15: Awareness of the website of the NWR

Question 13: How do you find it?
Answer

Respondents

Percentage

Enriching

01

04%

04

16%

03

12%

17

68%

25

100%

Needs updates
Classical
No idea
Total

Table 16: How respondents find the website of the NWR

4.4 Interpretation of results

The above questions are to those persons who know about the Governors Office
and are beneficiaries in one way or the other from services the Office offers. This
study aims at examining through those questions; the services offered at the
Governors Office, the manner in which these services are delivered and the
satisfaction level of respondents. In this way, one can see the promotion of good
governance at the NW Governors Office. The interpretation of the results acquired is
as follows;
49

Table 4: Most respondents in the NWR are Cameroonians (95%) while few are
foreigners (2%). This shows that a little mistake done as regarding good governance
can have great impact at the international levels because they come to the
Governors Office mostly for authentification and certification of documents relating
to their identification.

Table seven: In this table, other public services are involved like the Police Station,
City Council and the Governors Office. These are places (not all) where people go to
give their complaints. Not everybodys aim to the public administration is for
complaints, so regarding this; others do not still know where to lay their complaints
before the government. According to data collected, 40% of respondents go to the
Governors Office, 48% go to the Police Station, 4% go to the City Council and 8% of
them have no idea as towhere to channel theircomplaints. This shows that though
the Governors Office receives complaints from people in the Region, the Police
Station remains the most visited in terms of problems. Perhaps it is due to the
popularity and proximity of Police stations as compared to the Governors Office.

Table eight: Here, respondents describe the reactions of people in public

administration when they table their complaints before them. Though the majority
say they are very satisfied with 44%, others find their reactions discouraging (20%)
and pathetic (28%) in a total of 100%. But because the percentage is not up to 50%
and above, we cannot really say respondents actually derive full satisfaction from
these Offices. The manner in which services are delivered is satisfactory, but not
good enough to promote good governance with a low percentage of 44.

50

Table nine: This shows that 84% of respondents do derive some satisfaction from the
Governors Office, while 16% do not. In order to measure or quantify the level of
their satisfaction, Question 7.i. was posed to respondents.

Table ten: This shows how satisfied the public is on the services rendered by the
Governors Office. Just 16% of respondents obtain full or real satisfaction from
services at the Governors Office, 52% of them have mediocre satisfaction and the
rest 32% of respondents go with a negative impression of Governors Office, since
their satisfaction level fall in the range 10% - 50%, which is low. With this percentage,
the credibility/reputation of the Governors Office is threatened.

Chart 1
80-100%

50-80%
8%

30-50%

10-30%

16%

24%

52%

Figure 2: Level of satisfactions of respondents

Source: Data from the field
As shown in the pie chart above, majority of people derive satisfaction from services
rendered from the NW Governors Office, but the level of satisfaction is not to
optimum level. The Governors Office, which is a Provider of State Services, 52% is
very low. This shows that they need to improve on their work, to increase the
satisfaction level. This low satisfaction level is certainly due to the manner of
approach at the Governors Office as shown in tables 8, 11, 14 and the relationship
between respondents and the Governors Office as seen in table 13.
51

Table 11: The Governors Office has a slogan that Here services are free, but for
small charges that can be involved for stamps (as seen in Appendix 1). Benefiting
from these services (including the follow-up of documents) can involve a process that
is unpleasant to beneficiaries. As shown on table 11, the process of benefiting from
these services at the Governors Office is time consuming, with the highest
percentage (40%). The fact that 24% is given to the option Smooth on the table also
shows that many people are contented with the procedure taken to finalise
documents at the Governors Office. Other options are Tedious with 12%,
Frustrating with 8% and Encouraging with 16%. All these demonstrate that having
these free services is not as easy as it might seem to be.

Table 12: Here, 76% of respondents affirm that information is politicised at the
Governors Office, while the other 24% think otherwise.Respondents by this think
the Governor, his cabinet and collaborators favour those people who share either
the same political, religious or social background with them. This impliesthat services
at the Governors Office are offered sometimes based on what you are or who
you are in the society. This makes ordinary citizens suffer or go through a lot of
stress to have what they want.
This might just be an impression, not reality, since dignitaries can be served before
other people just because they had an appointment or have pressing issues that
need to be taken care of for the sake of the smooth running of the government
activities. This table shows that even the type of information served to people have
elements of politics in it: in delivering speeches other members of the government
are praised, giving the impression that no member of the government makes
mistakes. It also proves that some important information is only disseminated among
52

departments at the Office and other external personnel who are close collaborators.
When simple citizens seek for this information, they are denied access. Since
respondents feel information handed to them is different from other persons, the
researcher sought to know, in the next question the relation that respondents have
with the Governor and his collaborators.

Table 13: 40% of respondents have a cordial relationship with the Governor and his
collaborators. 32% of respondents have no relationship with them: others occupy
20%, having a corporate relationship and 8% of respondents have a casual
relationship with the Governors Office. According to the previous question, 40% of
respondents have either casual or no relationship with the Governors Office. This
probably is the group who feel discriminated upon.

Table 14: Respondents who come to the Governors Office come for different
motives; for business, intellectual, administrative, cultural or religious reasons or to
invite the Governor for ceremonies. They all have experiences on the manner of
approach that was used on them. 32% of them find the manner of approach friendly,
32% respondents find the approach simple but efficient, 24% see the approach to be
too administrative and 12% of respondents find the approach strict. At least, there is
no negative approach recorded by respondents. But it is good public relations that
64% of respondents think the manner of approach of the Governor and his cabinet is
friendly and simple, yet efficient. But a great percentage is left out. This shows that
the Governors Office need to improve on the manner of approach with the public.

Table 15: Very few people do visit the website of the NWR, which is operated by the
SERCOM; 24% do, while 78% of respondents do not. These shows how uninformed
53

they are, as they do not make use of the information offered to them electronically,
for free. Reaching the public electronically is another PR strategy which is
implemented by the SERCOM of the Governors Office. This is for those who do not
reach Radio/TV announcements, communiqus and press releases either on air or
print.

Table 16: As many respondents do not visit the website, 68% of them basically have
no idea of the information therein. 4% of those who visit the website find it
enriching, 16% think the website needs a lot of updates and 12% see it to be
classical.

54

CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION

5.1 Summary of Findings

This research has taken a critical look on the manner of approach used by the
Governors Office to deliver state services made available for the public and how
satisfied people are in the acquisition of these services. Data collected and analysed
shows that the public do benefit from services offered by the Governors Office and
have an average level of satisfaction. Though many people derive satisfaction in
services rendered, a good number of others go home dissatisfied. Findings show that
their low level of satisfaction is due to the manner of service delivery at the
Governors Office, the reactions of people in public administration and for the public,
their unawareness of information made available for them.

5.2 Recommendations
5.2.1 For the SERCOM at the Governors Office
The SERCOM should claim their position and functions at the Governors
Office. This is because other services there sometimes by-pass protocol and
carry out some functions designated for the SERCOM without consent.
SERCOM should make hard publications (newsletters) of activities carried out
by the Governor and his cabinet or collaborators, to create awareness for the
public.
Also, SERCOM should update the website of the Governors Office and render
it more sophisticated with detailed information, yet make it appealing to the
eye.
55

A communication strategy must be put in place in order to ensure effective

and efficient communication in and out of the structure. This includes having a
well-designed communication plan for the Governors Office.
The Service should ask for the provision of necessary equipment needed for
better operations of their work in the Communication Service (constant
airtime, fax machine and internet services).

5.2.2 To the Administration of NPB

They should upgrade classrooms to a standard worth the professional
institute name that the school carries. That way, the environment will be
suitable for professional learning in both theory and practice. Here, we look at
the electrification and ventilation of classrooms, tiling of classes, tarring and
beautifying the school campus as well as improving toilet facilities.
Since the journalism profession is fast taking a digital turn, the school should
provide equipment like pointers for lessons, computers with video and audio
editing software, free internet facilities for researches and qualitative lectures
on Digital Journalism in its entirety.

5.3 Conclusion
This study has showed prove of the fact that the practice of PR is an indispensable
tool which can be used to promote Good Governance in the NW Governors Office.
And in striving to promote Good Governance, they should totally put their interests
in the full satisfaction of the public they serve. The study has also looked at those
things that can improve the relationship between a government and its public, not
forgetting those things that public administration can do to satisfy the public. That is
56

the reality in this research entitled The Role of the practice of Public Relations in
promoting Good Governance in Public Administration. Case study, Office of the
Governor of the NWR

5.4 Suggestions for further studies

Further research can be done in the study of good governance, but this time to find
out the role of the public in promoting good governance in public administration.

57

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62

APPENDICES
Appendix 1: Signboard at the Governors Office

63

Appendix 2: Questionnaires administered to respondents

NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY BAMENDA

REPUBLQUE DU CAMEROUN
PAIX TRAVAIL PATRIE
MINISTERE DES LENSEIGNEIMENT
SUPERIEUR

REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON
PEACE WORK FATHERLAND
MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am NAAH KENNETH TOH, degree student in the School of Journalism and Media,
National Polytechnic University Bamenda, affiliated to the University ofBuea (UB). I am
carrying out a research on, The Role of Public Relations Practice in Promoting Good
Governance in Public Administration." Case Study, the North West Governors Office.
In order to back up my research project, please answer the following questions. Mark an X
on your answer. This work is purely for academic purposes and your responses will be
treated with outmost confidentiality.
1) What is your gender?

Male

Female

2) What is your nationality?

3) What is your occupation?

A. Cameroonian B. Others
A. Student B. Civil Servant C. Business Person D. Others

4) Do you know where the Governors Office is situated in the North West Region- Cameroon?
YES

NO

5) Where do you lay your complaints when offended?

A. The Governors Office

B. The Police Station

C.The City Council

D.No idea

6) How do you find their reactions?

A. Discouraging
B. Satisfactory
C. Pathetic
7) Do you derive satisfaction when you seek a service from the Governors Office?
i) What is the level of your satisfaction?
A. 80-100%
B. 50-80%
C. 30-50%

YES

D. 10-30%

8) How do you find the follow-up of documents at the Governors Office?

A. Tedious
B. Smooth
C. Frustrating
D. Time consuming
64

NO

E. Encouraging
9) Is information politicized at the Governors Office?

YES

NO

10) What is your relationship with the North West Governor or/and his cabinet?
A. Cordial
B. Corporate
C. No relationship
D. Casual
11) What manner of approach does the Governor and his cabinet takes to tackle issues?
A. Friendly
B. Simply but efficient
C. Strict
D. Too administrative
12) Do you visit the website of the North West Region which is operated by the Communication
Service at the NW Governors Office?
YES

NO

13) How do you find it?

A. Enriching
B. Need updates
C. Classical
D. No idea

Thanks for your co-operation!

65