October 19 2023 0Comment

PCC AT 48; THE CHIEF OMBUDSMAN REELS OUT ACHIEVEMENTS

The Honourable Chief Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission, Hon. Abimbola Ayo-Yusuf has called on the public and private organizations in the country to see the Commission as a partner committed to ensuring excellent service delivery and promoting good governance.

The Chief Commissioner made this call today at a press conference to mark the 48th Anniversary of the Public Complaints Commission in Abuja.
He said the Commission remains committed to protecting the rights of the citizenry and called on the members of the public to always take advantage of the non-adversarial approach of the Commission to resolve conflicts highlighting that the services are also completely free.

The Chief Ombudsman appreciated the Federal Government for its continuous support to the Commission and appealed for more assistance to enable it adequately serve Nigerians and residents whose expectations of the Commission are ever increasing.

He said despite the great challenge of inadequate funding faced by the Commission since its inception, it has never relented in its fight against maladministration and corruption. He added that inadequate finance has remained the Commission’s greatest challenge since inception but notwithstanding, the Commission has continued to do its best possible against all odds.

Hon. Abimbola Ayo-Yusuf said, since coming into Office on 5th July, 2021, he has strategically position the Commission to serve Nigerians effectively by consolidating on the achievements of his predecessors whom he appreciated.

Hon Ayo-Yusuf reeled out some of the achievements of his administration since his assumption of Office to include the following:

Cases Resolved: The Chief said due to the strategies put in place since his assumption of Office two years ago,the Commission was able to receive not less than 268,780 complaints from members of the public aside cases initiated by the Commission, out of which 170,500 complaints have been successfully resolved and others are pending.

Establishment of the Enforcement Unit in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and the Judiciary in order to effectively check some recalcitrant respondents. The Hon Chief Commissioner said, about 35 case files have been handled by the Unit out of which Twenty have been successfully resolved through prosecution. He further stated that the Unit has also prosecuted not less than Twenty Five recalcitrant respondents and the amount of 1.5 million naira has been recoverd for various Complainants.

Infrastructure Development: the Chief said, Utility vehicles had been procured for the 36 States and the FCT for the sole purpose of investigation as well as the face lift of the Commission’s Head Quarters and some state Offices which has gone a long way in adding value to the efficiency of the work of the Commission.

The Ombudsman Radio was established and is awaiting licensing to begin broadcasting which will increase the corporate visibility of the Commission.

Systemic Investigation: Here, the Chief said that this has been carried out in the Six Geo Political Zones of the country and some of the the investigation carried out included: the management of the Ecological Funds by the 36 of the federation, poor service delivery in the Aviation sector, crisis associated with the redesigning of the naira notes by CBN and poor handling by the commercial Banks, welfare of inmates by the Nigeria Correctional Services, Operators of the Mobile Network on the unlawful deduction of customers money for unsolicited services, the National Health Insurance Services for poor delivery, etc.

Publicity drive: The Hon Chief Commissioner said, inorder to give the Commission the needed publicity, more multidimensional and highly professional approach was adopted like town hall meetings, media outreaches, use of social media, road shows and sporting activities.
The Chief Commissioner further stated that, Anti-Corruption Marathon race is being organized annually in collaboration with major stakeholders to effectively drive home the Commission’s sensitization effort. Also, the PCC football club has also been set up with the main objective of using sport to fight Corruption among the youths.

Goodwill messages were given by the Federal Commissioners representing Oyo, Ekiti, Borno, Niger and Kogi States respectively to mark the celebration.

Earlier, the Secretary to the Commission gave the opening remarks and a brief history of the Commission and the Ombudsman practice in the world. She said the Public Complaints Commission was established on the 16th of October 1975 by the General Yakubu Gowon’s Military Administration through decree No. 31 of 1975 to check administrative excesses and bureaucratic bottlenecks that breed corruption in public service.

The anniversary celebration commenced earlier in the day with a procession that saw the Management and Staff of the Commission marched through the Aguiyi Street of Maitama-Abuja and culminated with the cutting of the anniversary cake, a press conference and group photographs at the Commission’s conference hall.

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