ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT INFORMATION BY CITIZENS OF NIGERIA, AS AN EMPOWERMENT TOOL: A STUDY OF RESIDENTS OF IMO STATE, NIGERIA.

ABSTRACT: Access to government information is very necessary for citizens of Nigeria in particular and other countries in general because it helps in making informed decisions as well as to participate actively in governance processes. In contemporary life, electoral and policy making process, the importance of political communication cannot be overemphasized because it is an ongoing conversation about social issues. It therefore necessitates an appraisal to determining the extent to which citizens of Nigeria are exposed to government information, the channel(s) through which they get exposed to those information, the extent to which they believe government information, as well as to determine if they are influenced by those messages. The study adopted survey research method for data collection. From 2006 census figure for Imo State (3,934,899), United Nations Projected Index was used to arrive at 5,111,433 as projected population of Imo State in 2019. Taro Yamani‘s formula was used to arrive at a sample size of 400. Multi stage sampling technique was applied in the selection of the respondents. The paper found that majority of Nigeria citizens access government information but do not believe in those communications because Nigeria Politicians/government use it for their selfish interests and those messages have either positive or negative effects or both. The researcher however recommends that Nigeria politicians/government should as a matter of urgency change their mindset on the belief that communication relationships should be positive and of benefit to them. They should be ready and willing from time to time to communicate with the citizens and stop thinking that messages they give would be swallowed hook, line and sinker by Nigeria citizens. Finally, Nigeria politicians should avoid imposing policies/programs on the citizens so as to avoid conflicts.
KEYWORDS: Access, Government, Information, Empowerment, Nigeria, Citizens.