IMPACT OF MASS MEDIA AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY ON SOCIO- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF NASSARAWA STATE

Abstract

Unfolding events in the Nigerian political strata since 1999 tend to suggest that the
governing elite class have soon neglected if not forgotten about the plights of the vast
majority of the Nigerian masses who ironically voted them into office. In line with this
submission, the paper assesses the 'The Impact of Mass Media on Public Accountability
in Nigeria's Fourth Republic: Implication for Social, Economic Development in
Nassarawa State. Adopting a mixed-method, and utilized the Marxist theory of
democracy as an analytical framework, the paper discoveredvicious cycle of
vulnerability, poverty and corruption breeds chronic poverty among both men and
women, adversely affecting the sustainable development in Nasarawa State and its
democratization process, such consequences include the diversion of resources; poor
budget implementation, looting the public treasury and rigging elections, among
others.The study finds out that, serious investigations into operations of governments,
issues of corruption and other negative behaviors are ignored or selectively
reported.The finding also reveals the absence of accountability will not be highly
consequential to the social and economic development in the study area, due to
challenges within the Nigerian media have been molded with an environment that is
characterized by instability, repressive legislation and restriction of access to
information.The paper concludes, accountability reduces poverty, improves human
development and generally enhances the efficiency of governance. The paper
recommends strengthening institutions and agencies of anti-corruption and democracy
and intensifying awareness campaigns by especially Media, Civil Society
Organizations (CSO), with emphasis on oversight and monitoring the activities of the
executive and legislative institutions in the state.