BORNO – The Public Complaints Commission (PCC) in Borno says it resolved 214 complaints between January and June as part of efforts to promote administrative justice and protect citizens’ rights.
Alhaji Yusuf Adamu, the Federal Commissioner of the commission and ombudsman in the state, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Maiduguri.
He said the commission received 396 complaints from both the public and private sector during the period under review, out of which, 214 were successfully resolved.
Adamu added that “the commission still has 1,186 pending cases, as efforts are ongoing to clear the backlog through mediation and other alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.”
According to him, the PCC serves as the ombudsman, established to investigate complaints arising from administrative injustice, abuse of office and bureaucratic delays.
He said it was also to investigate procedural violations and omissions by government institutions, local councils and registered private organisations.
“The commission is committed to promoting social justice by providing citizens and residents with accessible and impartial platform to seek redress against administrative excesses,” he said.
He, therefore, urged the public to take advantage of the commission’s services by reporting cases of injustice, stressing that most disputes were resolved through mediation, negotiation, arbitration and case conferences, rather than prolonged litigation.
He explained that the commission’s recommendations were based on thorough, impartial and systematic investigation aimed at ensuring fairness to all parties involved.
The commissioner noted that the PCC maintained strict confidentiality in handling complaints, except where disclosure was necessary to prevent imminent harm, as permitted by law.
He added that the commission’s quasi-judicial processes were flexible, accessible and less technical than conventional court proceedings, guided by the provisions of the Public Complaints Commission Act, Cap. P37, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Adamu reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to neutrality, saying it neither represented complainants nor respondents, but worked to achieve fair and equitable resolutions, consistent with the principles of social justice.(NAN)
