By Orji Sampson
The federal commissioner in charge of the Public Complaints Commission, Imo State office, Barr (Chief) Willie Amadi has called on aggrieved Imolites to always seek redress for administrative anomaly through the commission.
Barr Willie Amadi who stated this during a press briefing at the Public Complaints Commission office, otherwise known as Ombudsman at Orlu road secretariat, on Tuesday also called for partnership with the media practitioners with the view to further enlighten the public especially the aggrieved citizens who seek redress over administrative anomalies.
The former Aide to Governor Ikedi Ohakim said the Public Complaints Commission is the Nigerias version of the Ombudsman concept that was first practiced by the Scandinavian countries with its etymology firmly rooted in the idea of a public watchdog.
“in Nigeria, the Public Complaints Commission is the outcome of the acceptance, by then Federal Military government, of the recommendations made by the Public Service Reform Committee, headed by Chief Jerome Udorji, Popularly known as the Udorji Award, which was set up to inquire into the Maladis in the public service.
“The magnitude of discontent and low productivity in the public service had attained unacceptable levels.
“In recommending the creation of the Ombudsman, the 1749 Udorji Review Report observed that administrative injustice was endemic in the public service and most aggrieved public officials had no means to institute Legal action in Law Courts against very powerful bureaucrats who has emerged with the growth is size and complexity of modern organization.
He further stated that it is this search for an alternative, non-adversarial and friendly mechanism to investigate and redress complaints of administrative injustice allegedly committed by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), governments at all levels, public and private companies and even companies deemed to have been registered by under company and Allied Matters Act CAMA, and their officials that gave birth to decrees 31 of 1975 that established the Public Complaints Commission.
The Commissioner therefore expressed that the mandate of the Commission is to receive, investigate and resolve Complaints lodged by Individuals or aggrieved parties against ant tier of government in Nigeria, Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Corporations, Incorporated Private Organizations and their officials. He added that they also initiate on their own, investigations into matters that affect the public and conduct researches in ministries, departments and agencies with objective of preventing or steering threatening administrative trends and proffering solutions to governance challenges.
While calling on aggrieved Imolites to afford themselves the opportunity of seeking redress over administrative anomalies both in the public and private organizations, Barr Amadi disclosed that the Commission are operative in all the 36 states of Nigeria including the FCT with national headquarters at Abuja. He however stated that in order to bring their services closer to the grassroots, that they have created three zonal offices in the state at Orlu, Owerri and Okigwe with nine (9) Area offices situated at Aboh Mbaise, Ahiazu, Ezinihitte, Ihitte Uboma, Mbaitoli, Okigwe, Orlu and Oru West as well as the Federal Secretariat Complex, Portharcourt road, Owerri.
The Owere Nchi-Ise born chieftain popularly known as “Ukwa achi na aka”, while explaining achievements his administration has recorded since assuming office on May 23rd, 2018 that includes 40 complaints Resolved out of 90 received with 50 pending, he noted that a number of the resolved complaints were made possible by effective use of the tool of SUMMONS adding that many of the activities remained inconclusive because of the respondents refusal to cooperate but that since he assumed office this has changed owing to the use of SUMMONS template.
