Gowon tasks complaints commission to uphold truth, equity

Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon has urged the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) to uphold the tenets of truth and equity for peace and justice to reign in the country.

He also enjoined Nigerians to make use of the Commission.

The former Nigerian leader made the call yesterday during the commission’s 40th anniversary retreat in Abuja.

Gowon first inaugurated the commission in 1975 under the leadership of Ambassador Maitama Sule.

Flagging off the ceremony, Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki said no commissioner of an ombudsman institution worldwide must engage in partisan politics in order to insulate him or her from impartiality and bias as well as guarantee public confidence in the institution.

Represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition, Sam Anyanwu, he said a functional Ombudsman system would provide the citizenry a platform to ventilate their grievances in a way that reduces social tension, thus enhancing societal cohesion and harmony.

Chief Justice

of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed said he encourages the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) because the job of an Ombudsman goes beyond the investigation and determination of petition filed before them, as they must also embrace the need to build bridges where such have broken between the parties before it.

Chief Commissioner, PCC, Emmanuel Ogbile, said the organization may not be too visible compared to other anti-corruption agencies of government but they are working to ensure that all cases of administrative injustice reported are addressed.