We’ll support Complaints Commission to work better – Gbajabiamila

•Agency receives 130,500 complaints, resolves 93,800

By Christiana Ekpa

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has reassured the management of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) of the support of the House for the agency to deliver on its mandate.

The Speaker said the PCC needed to be encouraged by all means possible to address the complaints of Nigerians as the country’s ombudsman.

Gbajabiamila spoke on Wednesday when he received the 37 members of the commission on a thank-you visit to his office at the National Assembly in Abuja.

They were led by the Chief Commissioner, Abimbola Ayo-Yusuf.

Gbajabiamila noted that unknown to many, the PCC is one of the “most important” agencies of government, considering the serious work it does by attending to complaints of Nigerians and ensuring that they were addressed.

The speaker noted that the best way to encourage such an agency was to give it more support, including increased funding, procurement of equipment and improved staff welfare.

He spoke further, “We thank you too because of the work you have been doing. You are clearly beginning to position the PCC to be the agency of government it should be; we are aware of all your collaborations with other agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

“I commend and encourage you for what you are doing. We know you need adequate funding to work more. We will still see what we can do to assist you to get more money because you have exhibited the capacity to perform.

“I believe that given enough funds, you will do better than the records you have achieved within a short period.”

Earlier, the Chief Commissioner, Ayo-Yusuf, informed the speaker that the visit was to appreciate the Legislature for the backing it had given to the PCC since the current board was inaugurated in July 2021.

He said it was also to brief him on the achievements recorded by the agency during the period and to use the opportunity to seek more assistance from the House.

Ayo-Yusuf disclosed that the agency received 130,500 complaints since July 2021 and resolved 93,800 of the cases.

He added that other cases were progressing at various stages.

However, he told the speaker that the lack of adequate funds was a setback for the commission and appealed to Gbajabiamila to intervene by increasing the budget of the agency through appropriation.

Ayo-Yusuf stated that the agency also needed to upgrade office furniture and renovate its offices for better service delivery.

He thanked the Legislature for the funds it had voted so far for the PCC’s operations, part of which Ayo-Yusuf said had been used to buy vehicles and settle liabilities outstanding in excess of N1 billion.