From Joseph Uchenna, in0 Makurdi
A Federal Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, PCC in Benue State, Hon James Ogaba Oche has said in 50 years, the Commission in Nigeria has endured confrontation and adversity in its war against corrupt practices, maladministration and all forms of social injustice both public and private institutions.
Hon Oche who said this at the celebration of the Public Complaints Commission Golden Anniversary in Makurdi, noted that in spite these obstacles, the Commission has been carrying out its mandate of redressing administrative injustice especially in Benue State with determination
He explained that since assumption of office on the 2nd October, 2024, they have received several complaints across the state, stating that in addition to the many unresolved pending complaints he met, the Commission has, from these complaints, resolved over 400 cases in a manner that has never been recorded before in the history of the Commission in Benue State.
Hear him: “This could only have been possible by the special grace of God. I respectfully wish to express our gratitude to the President and Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the support the Commission has continued to receive.
“Our debt of gratitude goes to the President and Members of Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, under whose auspiece the Commission has continued to thrive. I appreciate the Government and people of Benue State for their unwavering support and cooperation as we discharge our duties.
“The Public Complaints Commission, on whose platform we celebrate 50 years today, has its origin from the Global Ombudsman Institution which took roots from Sweden in 1809. It gradually spread its tentacles globally, reaching Nigeria and was nationally established by the Federal Government on 16th October, 1975, through Decree 31 and later became an Act of the National Assembly, incorporated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and further codified in CAP. P. 37, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. The Commission’s core mandate is to investigate and resolve both reactive and proactive cases of administrative injustice, maladministration and social disorder in the Nigerian polity.
“In Benue State, the Commission became an autonomous Branch on 1st October, 1979, with its Honourable Commissioner. Today, due to the complex nature of the mandate of the Commission with the desire to attain its vision, the enormous geographical size and populous nature of our state, the Benue Office is one of the most populated nationwide and has an area office in each of the 23 local governments to fight administrative injustice in the rural areas also.
“This achievement, inspiring as it seems, comes at the hills of the Commission’s confrontation with many challenges, some of which include; poor response to complaints by some unwilling respondents most of whom are government functionaries and government agencies, insufficient and dilapidated office furniture and equipment, lack of operational vehicles, among others. The Commission has continued to, despite these challenges, weather the storm in sustaining it’s mandate.
“It is on this note that we continue to appeal to government both at the state and national levels to continue to support the Commission to live faithfully to its mandate of fighting injustice and maladministration.
“On the commission’s 50th Anniversary, we celebrate our Chief Commissioner, the Rt. Hon. Bashir Abubakar whose insightful leadership has continued to steer the Commission in a most positive manner. We celebrate the staff of the Commission at the National Headquarters and state offices. We celebrate our friends, well wishes and the good people of Nigeria whom we serve.
“We pray that the good God will continue to sustain the Commission and to improve it in the administration of its inspiring mandate”.
