Yobe PCC Resolves 560 Complaints In 1 Year, Reviews 337 Others

The Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Yobe State Office, has resolved 560 out of 897 complaints received from residents across the state’s 17 local government areas within one year.

The federal commissioner in charge of the state office, Hon. Hassan Garba Katuzu, disclosed this during the commemoration of the 51st anniversary of the Commission and the first anniversary of its Yobe office.

Katuzu said the complaints were resolved through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), mediation, conciliation and dialogue, representing 62.4 per cent of the total cases received.

He said the resolved cases involved land disputes, matrimonial and family disagreements, employer-employee disputes, SIM ownership, electricity-related complaints, wrongful termination of employment, unpaid entitlements, job scams and refund cases.

According to him, the remaining 337 complaints are undergoing scrutiny for further hearings.

He explained that the Commission’s intervention had helped many residents obtain redress without going through lengthy court proceedings, thereby saving time and money while preserving relationships.

Katuzu said the Commission, established in 1975 as Nigeria’s Ombudsman, was mandated to address administrative injustice, abuse of power, unfair treatment and other forms of maladministration in government institutions.

He said the Yobe office had continued to strengthen public awareness of the Commission’s mandate and encourage citizens to report cases of administrative excesses.

However, he identified inadequate office accommodation, insufficient funding, limited operational vehicles, shortage of personnel and low public awareness, particularly in rural communities, as challenges affecting the Commission’s operations.

He also lamented that some respondents failed to honour invitations extended to them by the Commission, thereby frustrating efforts to resolve certain complaints.

The federal commissioner appealed for increased public cooperation and support to enable the Commission to discharge its responsibilities effectively.

He commended the Chief Commissioner of the Commission at the national headquarters in Abuja for his leadership and efforts to improve staff welfare, particularly through the payment of outstanding arrears and placement of the Commission’s salary structure on CONLESS.

Katuzu also appreciated Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, for supporting the Commission and providing an enabling environment for its operations.

The anniversary celebration featured a public awareness walk aimed at educating residents on their rights, sensitising them about the Commission’s mandate and encouraging them to report administrative injustice.

Some residents of Damaturu who spoke to LEADERSHIP correspondent, Bulama Galadima, said they were previously unaware of the activities of the Public Complaints Commission until the awareness walk, which exposed them to its mandate and services available to members of the public.

Bulama said the exercise provided him with an opportunity to understand the Commission’s responsibilities and how citizens could seek redress over administrative injustice.

“I was not aware of the activities of this Commission before now. It was through this awareness walk that I got to know about its mandate and the services it offers to the public,” he said.

Another resident, Musa Abdullahi, expressed appreciation for the awareness exercise, saying it had enlightened him on the importance of the Commission and encouraged him to report cases of administrative injustice.

“Now that I am familiar with the activities of the Commission, I will not hesitate to report any case of injustice or maladministration that falls within its mandate,” Abdullahi said.

They urged the Commission to sustain its public sensitisation efforts to ensure that more residents, particularly those in rural communities, become aware of its activities and how to access its services.

The commissioner therefore, reaffirmed the commitment of the Yobe State Office to promoting justice, fairness, accountability and good governance.