By People’s Post
The Public Complaint Commission (PCC), says it had played a crucial role in decongesting courts in the last 50 years of its establishment.
Mr Barde Usman, the PCC’s Commissioner in Jigawa State, stated this at a press conference to mark the commission’s 50th anniversary in Dutse, on Thursday.
Usman said the commission assisted in the decongestion of the courts through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and mediation providing the common man with afford avenue to seek redress against administrative injustice, maladministration and abuse of power in both public and private sectors.
He explained that the ombudsman’s key activities include handling complaints, conducting investigations, mediating disputes, recommending administrative reforms and promoting citizens’ rights.
“Over the past decades, the Commission has received millions of cases and resolved hundreds of thousands, strengthened public trust in institutions and promoted accountability and good governance, despite challenges such as limited resources and public awareness.
“The Commission has championed fairenes, transparency and good governance by ensuring that the ordinary citizen has access to jutice outside the court room,” he said.
The commissioner added the ombudsman has expanded over the last 50 years from a single federal of in 1975 to 36 states of nation, including FCT and 185 zones.
“This enable us handle hundreds of thousands of complaints and securing justice for citizens on issues range from wrongful dismissal, delayed pensions, salary arrears, land issue to abuse of administrative authority.
According to him, the commission has recently witnessed further innovations such as the establishment of radio station, digital complaints channels, call centres and community sensitization programs, designed to make its services more accessible and responsive.
Usman added that the commission, established in Jigawa State between 1993 to 1995, had recorded 11,244 cases, resolved 9,517 amicably, while 1,727 are still pending.
On history of the PCC, the commissioner said the concept of ombudsman originated in Sweden in 1973 as an institution for citizens to challenge government actions.
“And by the mid-1980s, it had become a global phenomenon. In Nigeria, the idea was first proposed in 1952 but only materialized after the Udoji Committee recommended it in 1974.
“The PCC was eventually established in 1975 by Decree No. 31, later preserved under the 1999 Constitution (CAP P37, LFN 2004),” the commissioner said.
He therefore, urged residents of the state to patronize the commission in order to resolve their disputes through the ADR mechanism, describing it as very useful means of resolving disputes at a reasonable time and is free of charge.
To make its services accessible to residents, he said the commission has five zonal offices in Birnin Kudu, Hadejia, Kazaure, Ringim and Gumels towns.
