SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PARTICIPATORY COMMUNICATION: AN ASSESSMENT OF SELECTED COMMUNITY PROJECTS IN CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA.

This paper was an attempt to investigate to which extent participatory communication is adopted in communication interventions in Nigeria. Three selected developmental projects in Cross River State were studied. Four objectives and four research questions were raised to guide the study. Participatory Communication Theory (PCT) was adopted as the theoretical underpinning of the work. It also collected data through quantitative and qualitative research methods. The questionnaire was the main data gathering instrument. Data gathered was analysed using simple percentage. One of the findings in the research is that participatory communication should be adopted across every level of development projects as it has been considered as a veritable component that fast-tracks development/community projects. The researcher therefore, concludes that, participatory communication is a salient approach of communication that facilitates development projects. To achieve success, priority should be given to the component of participatory communication when carrying out community projects. Consequently, it has been recommended that, participatory communication should be adopted across every level of development projects as it helps development agents to engage the people to know their pressing needs and to avoid situations where projects that are worth millions of naira are not utilised by the beneficiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]