Public Relations Strategies and the Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria

Abstract

Public relations is a planed communication that can be used by both government and nongovernmental organisations to build and maintain mutual understanding with the publics. It is a tool which can be used to facilitate development in any country that is desperate for social, economic, political and technological development. It is against this backdrop that this paper examines how public relations strategies can be used to achieve the millennium developments goals. The millennium Development Goals are drawn from the actions and targets contained in the Millennium Declaration that was adopted by 189 Nations signed by 147 heads of state and governments, during the UN Millennium Summit in September, 2000. The paper examines the different public relations strategies like corporate social responsibilities, sponsorship, community relations, information management, research, etc, and how they can stimulate national development. It examines the extent to which public relations is relevant to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and also examines whether the government has adequately harnessed public relations approaches in the quest for the attainment of the MDGs. The paper recommends that the government should explore public relations possibilities, which will in turn lead to national development.

Keywords: Public Relations, Communication and Development