Gentlemen of the Press
1. Before my assumption of office as the Honorable Chief Commissioner, the Management of the Commission working with the Labor Unions of the Commission had appealed to the National Assembly to migrate from the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure CONPSS to the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure CONLESS. This approval was granted by the National Assembly with a caveat that the Commission should liaise with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission NSIWC for final approval.
2. On my assumption of office, I tried everything within my power to relentlessly pursue the approval, which was eventually approved by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission with effect from 1st October, 2022. As soon as the salary adjustment was approved, the Executives of the three Labor Unions namely, the Association of Senior Civil Servant of Nigeria ASCSN, Nigerian Civil Service Union NCSU and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria PASAN in the Commission started relentless agitation for its implementation in spite of the fact that no budgetary approval was given to implement same in the 2022 and 2023 Appropriation Acts.
3. Several conciliation meetings were held between the Management and the Unions which later culminated in the apprehension of the industrial dispute by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Employment.
4. Arising from the above, parties committed themselves to ensuring a concerted pursuit and advocacy for an enhanced budgetary allocation under the 2024 Appropriation Act.
5. It is however disheartening that inspite of the relentless efforts of the Management and relevant Stakeholders, the 2024 approved Budget could not fully implement the approved CONLESS for staff of the Commission.
6. As the Management was making efforts to analyze the Budget and determine how to allocate funds to the relevant Heads/Sub-heads, the Commission received a letter from the Joint Unions insisting on “full implementation of the approved 50% CONLESS and its Peculiar Allowance that is been paid to the Staff of the National Assembly Service which was different from the approval granted the Commission by the NSIWC”. Management considered it curious and ill-conceived, the fact that the letter was copied to 16 MDAs including some anti-graft Agencies in flagrant disregard of the fact that the dispute had been apprehended by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Employment.
7. As a responsible and responsive Agency, the Management ably led by the Honorable Chief Commissioner quickly convened a meeting with the Executives of the three Unions on 23rd January, 2024 where the Management made an offer based on the approved salary structure by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) as follows:
a.) Level 1 – 6: (100% Consolidated Salary and 100% Peculiar Salary.
b.) Level 7 – 17: (90% Consolidated Salary and 100% Peculiar Salary.
8. On the following day, 24th January, 2024, the Executives of the Unions along with a mob invaded the Salary Section as well as the Central Pay Office (CPO) and menacingly chased out all the Staffs performing their lawful duties and brazenly put the offices under lock and key. They also instigated some of their members to barricade and lock the entrance and exit gates of the Commission, thereby illegally detaining the Honorable Chief Commissioner, some Commissioners, Secretary to the Commission, Staff as well as the Complainants, Respondents and Visitors who were on their legitimate assignments/businesses for several hours.
9.) The Commission views these acts of violence and desperation as conducts beyond the bounds of Unionism more so when the dispute had been apprehended by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Employment coupled with the signed Memorandum of Understanding wherein parties agreed to maintain status quo ante until the determination/settlement of the dispute. The public disturbance described above prompted the two Chairmen of both the Senate and House Committees over-sighting the Commission at the National Assembly to convene a meeting with the Management and Executives of the Unions, where the need for adequate funding was underscored and hands were already on deck at improving it by the relevant authority. The two Chairmen sued for peace and undertook to engage the Leadership of the National Assembly at the meeting scheduled for 7th February, 2024.
10.) The Federal Ministry of Labor and Employment was updated on the industrial dispute and was requested to call the Executives of the Unions to order in the interest of public order and obedience to the Law and lawful Authorities.
11.) On 7th February, 2024, there was a meeting at the National Assembly with the Clerk of the National Assembly CNA, the two Chairmen of the two Committees over-sighting the Commission at the Senate and House of Representatives where it was made clear that the staff of the Public Complaints Commission cannot draw their Salaries from the Salary Structure being used by the Staff of the National Assembly Service Commission as it is not in charge of their employment, promotions and discipline.
12.) From the foregoing, the following facts are crystal clear:
a.) That the Public Complaints Commission is not under the National Assembly as regards appointment, promotion, discipline and remuneration of its Staff.
b.) That the Honorable Chief Commissioner is empowered under Section 3 (1) and (2) of the Public Complaints Commission Act to appoint, promote, discipline and fix the remuneration of staff in consultation with appropriate Authorities.
c.) That necessary steps are being taken to approach the relevant Authority for approval and domestication of the Ombudsman Salary Scale which shall be peculiar to the staff of the Ombudsman given the nature of the services rendered by the Commission.
13.) It can be gleaned from the above that the conducts of the Union Leaders in locking up law abiding staff thereby disrupting the operations of the Commission are not only morally reprehensible, but criminal and beyond the bounds of Unionism.
14.) Suffice to say that since assuming duty in this Commission on 5th July, 2022, I have recorded several achievements as follows:
a.) That despite the great challenge of inadequate funding faced by the Commission since its inception, I have never relented in my fight against maladministration and corruption. Inadequate finance has remained the Commission’s greatest challenge since inception but notwithstanding, the Commission has continued to do its best possible against all odds.
b.) Cases Resolved: That due to the strategies put in place since my assumption of Office two and half years ago, the Commission, under my leadership was able to receive not less than 791,026 complaints from members of the public aside cases initiated by the Commission, out of which 499,500 complaints have been successfully resolved and 291,526 is pending.
c.) Establishment of the Enforcement Unit in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and the Judiciary in order to effectively check some recalcitrant respondents. Under my leadership, about 80 case files have been handled by the Unit out of which 76 have been successfully resolved through prosecution. However, the Unit has also prosecuted not less 70 recalcitrant Respondents and the sum of 186 million naira has been recovered for various Complainants.
d.) Infrastructure Development: in this regard, not less than 80 Utility vehicles had been procured for the use of 36 States, the FCT and Headquarters for the sole purpose of Investigation as well as the face lift of the Commission’s Headquarters and some state Offices which has gone a long way in adding value to the efficiency of the work of the Commission.
e.) Systemic Investigation: this has been carried out in the Six Geo Political Zones of the country and some of the investigation carried out included: the Management of the Ecological Funds by the 36 States of the Federation, poor service delivery in the Aviation Sector, crisis associated with the redesigning of the naira notes by CBN and poor handling by the Commercial Banks, welfare of inmates by the Nigeria Correctional Services, Operators of the Mobile Network on the unlawful deduction of customers money for unsolicited services, the National Health Insurance Services for poor delivery, etc.
f.) Publicity Drive: In order to give the Commission the needed publicity, multidimensional and highly professional approach was adopted such as town hall Meetings, Media Outreaches, use of Social Media, Road Shows and Sporting Activities. Also the Anti-Corruption Marathon race is being organized annually in collaboration with major Stakeholders to effectively drive home the Commission’s Sensitization effort. Furthermore the Public Complaints Commission football Club has been set up with the main objective of using sport to fight Corruption among the youths.
g.) The last but not the least, is the establishment of the Ombudsman Radio which is awaiting licensing to begin broadcasting which will increase the corporate visibility of the Commission.
From the foregoing, it is crystal clear that in the midst of the resources available to the Commission, I have done my best in judiciously applying the funds of the Commission towards the welfare of Staff and provision of infrastructure and working tools for optimal performance. The agitation of the Joint Unions to pay a salary Structure that was not approved by the appropriate authorities is manifestly illegal and cannot be acceded to by any responsible institution.
Thank you for your attention.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Honorable Abimbola Ayo-Yusuf
Honorable Chief Commissioner of the Federation
