PCC to sensitise public on right to seek justice

The Public Complaint Commission (PCC) on Tuesday said it would embark on a massive awareness campaign to sensitise the public on their right to seek justice.

The Kaduna State Commissioner, PCC, Musa Tugga-Karam, stated this in an interview with journalists in Kaduna.

Tugga-Karam said that the commission which was first established in Kaduna was to protect the citizens against administrative injustice.

He said, “It started as Public Complaints Bureau in Kaduna during the military administration in the defunct North-Central State headed by Brig-Gen. Abba Kyari in 1974.

“It was from the Bureau that the Federal Military Government in 1975 bought the idea and established the Public Complaints Commission at the national level.

“The vision of the commission is to restore the dignity of man through the enthronement of rule of law and protection of individuals and organisations against administrative injustice.”

The commissioner added that though the commission had successfully settled 285 cases of the 395 cases lodged with it in 2017, there was still room for improvement.

According to him, the commission which renders free services to the aggrieved will partner with the media to ensure massive awareness and sensitisation of the public on their right to seek justice.

“The public complaint commission had been a sleeping giant until recently when it was revived and moved from the executive to the legislative arm of government.

“That is why we need to sensitise the public about our activities, using the media to enlighten and educate them on where and how to get justice free,” he added.

Tugga-Karam noted that the commission had the backing of the law to investigate complainants lodged before it by any person aggrieved by administrative action taken by public and private outfits.

He added that the commission would collaborate with relevant bodies like the police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), among others, to combat corruption and other crimes in society.

The state commissioner urged government, the media, NGOs and the general public to support the PCC in ensuring justice to humanity.