COVID-19 pandemic and civil servants information seeking behaviour in Nigeria
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Date
2021
Authors
Abba, M.A
Ijiekhuamhen, O.P
Ojo, J.O
Stores, F.S
Egbukole, K.N
Musa, M.Y
Edet, G.
Umar, H.M
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Journal ISSN
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Abstract
Purpose: The study assessed information seeking behaviour of civil servonts on Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The research design of the study is quantitative and exploratory culminating into descriptive survey. Three objectives and three research questions guided the study.
Random sampling technique was used to select 300 civil servants from the various civil service sectors in Nigeria. The researchers' used on line questionnaire via survey monkey as the data collection instrument which contained close ended questions based on the proposition and objectives of the research. Three hundred copies of questionnaire were distributed to the civil servants with a return rate of 94%. The method of data analysis adopted was descriptive statistics covering frequency counts, percentages and weighted average.
Findings: The finding indicated that majority of the respondents seek COVID-19 information by browsing various Government Accredited Webpages, the use of information for enhancing one's personal knowledge capacity to meet different needs. The result also indicated factors militating against the accessibility and use of information on COVID-19 by Civil Servants are inability to distinguish fake news from authentic one, high cost of data subscription among others.
Implication: It was suggested from the study that civil servants should strive to seek for information from accredited media sources and Ubrarians should sensitise civil servants on how to differentiate between fake and authentic information, among others.
Originality/Value: This is one of the first studies that dealt with how civil servants seek information on COVID-19 as well as the barriers to the access and use of COVID-19 related information. The study will be of great value to the government for policy formulation on civil servant information seeking behaviours it would also be useful to researchers undertaking similar studies.
Description
Scholarly articles
Keywords
Covid-19 Pandemic , Information seeking behaviour , Civil servants , Nigeria , Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Other social sciences::Library and information science
Citation
Abba, M.A Ijiekhuamhen, O.P Ojo, J.O Stores, F.S Egbukole, K.N Musa, M.Y Edet, G. Umar, H.M (2021). COVID-19 pandemic and civil servants information seeking behaviour in Nigeria. Journal of applied Information Science and Technology, 14(1), 14-25.