Public Complaints Commission Reports Mixed Results Amid Challenges

ABUJA, Nigeria — Chief Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Bashir Abubakar, revealed in a press briefing on Tuesday that the commission received 64,967 complaints between October 2024 and March 2025, resolving 15,077 of them. The complaints predominantly centered around injustices against workers, breaches of trust from business partners, and corruption across various sectors.

During the announcement, Abubakar noted a particular trend in the complaints directed at the power sector. He shared that the commission achieved a resolution rate of 23.19% during this period.

“Out of this figure, we have so far fully resolved and dispensed of 15,077 complaints,” Abubakar said. He went on to address the challenges faced by the PCC, including a frosty relationship between management and labor unions that previously led to a three-week protest and industrial action, paralyzing the commission’s activities.

“With improved communication and collaborative problem-solving skills, which were effectively deployed, the unions embraced peace,” he explained. “They demonstrated a conciliatory gesture by writing a letter of apology to the leadership of the National Assembly for infractions committed during the industrial action.”

Abubakar shared his vision to strengthen the commission’s workforce, emphasizing adherence to public service rules and ethical standards required of an ombudsman institution. “Our goal is to build a workforce that would operate in strict adherence to public service rules,” he stated.

He outlined plans to address outstanding arrears and claims owed to employees to motivate excellence within the organization. “It is not merely about fairness, but also about motivating excellence in our organisation,” he added. “We have conducted a comprehensive assessment that reveals gaps in professionalism, and we are responding with earmarked capacity-building programmes to equip our workforce with necessary skills.”

Abubakar credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, among others, for their commitment to improving the commission’s budgetary allocation for the year, which has provided critical resources to confront longstanding challenges.

Furthermore, he highlighted the commission’s plans to strengthen partnerships with governments, ministries, departments, agencies, the private sector, and communities to enhance service delivery for Nigerians.

As part of its initiative, the PCC aims to engage notable Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and respected individuals from all six geopolitical zones to offer pro bono services supporting investigative and dispute resolution processes.

Despite facing substantial challenges, Abubakar expressed optimism about the PCC’s progress as it approaches its 50th anniversary in October. He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to advancing its role in nation-building and democratic governance.