By Joseph Erunke, Abuja
Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, have called for stronger accountability and more effective justice delivery, warning that failures by public institutions to comply with established rules and court judgments undermine citizens’ rights.
The trio spoke at the inaugural Nigerian Ombudsman Annual Conference, organised by the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) in Abuja on Thursday, where participants called for stronger institutions, improved complaint resolution and strict adherence to administrative procedures.
While Soyinka criticised the failure to implement court judgments, Akume called for stronger institutional compliance and accountability, while Anyaoku urged wider public awareness of the Ombudsman as an affordable avenue for seeking redress.
The conference, themed, “System Building and Compliance: A Key Factor to Good Governance,” also featured a call by the Chief Commissioner of the PCC, Bashir Abubakar, for an end to the disregard for administrative rules and procedures by public institutions.
Abubakar disclosed that the commission received 1,281,984 complaints and resolved 716,688 within two years, figures he said reflected growing public awareness of its mandate but also underscored the scale of outstanding cases requiring attention.
He said Nigeria’s governance challenge was not necessarily a shortage of laws and policies, but the failure to establish enduring systems that ensured their consistent implementation, irrespective of the individuals occupying public offices.
“Over-reliance on the goodwill or authority of individuals, however noble, creates fragility. Institutions that depend on personalities rather than processes do not outlast generations,” he said.
The chief commissioner said the commission was working to clear its backlog through improved institutional capacity, technology and collaboration with other government agencies.
He listed reforms undertaken since he assumed office on September 24, 2024, to include improved budgetary allocations, increased monthly funding for state offices, biometric staff verification, the creation of additional directorates and capacity-building initiatives.
Abubakar, however, warned that the reforms would yield limited results if government agencies continued to disregard the commission’s recommendations.
He urged ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to take the commission’s findings seriously and implement corrective measures, stressing that compliance must become an established culture rather than an exception.
Established in 1975, the PCC provides citizens with a cost-free avenue to seek redress over maladministration, abuse of office, unfair treatment and other grievances involving public institutions and relevant private organisations.
Abubakar said the commission was determined to move beyond resolving individual complaints to identifying systemic weaknesses and recommending reforms capable of preventing recurring administrative failures.
Soyinka faults non-implementation of judgments
Soyinka raised concerns over the gap between judicial pronouncements and their implementation, questioning why citizens who secured favourable court judgments could still be denied the benefits of justice.
He lamented that some litigants died without enjoying the fruits of judgments delivered in their favour, describing the situation as a troubling failure of the justice system.
“Why is it, for instance, that we cannot guarantee the implementation of a court judgment? Why is there such a disconnect between the plaintiff, the judgment itself, the judges, the entire structure of justice, and the victim who has sought justice?” he asked.
He cited cases in which court orders directing the restoration of passports had allegedly remained unimplemented for years, arguing that such delays defeated the purpose of seeking judicial redress.
Describing the situation as “medicine after death,” Soyinka urged the PCC to prioritise the gap between judgments and their enforcement.
“I would like to see these judgments implemented. I would like to see justice delivered, not merely pronounced,” he said.
He also questioned why decisions concerning disputed land could be ignored, allowing disputes to escalate into violence and destruction rather than being resolved through compliance with lawful judgments.
Soyinka said the commission could play an important role in drawing attention to such failures and helping citizens obtain practical relief after seeking justice.
Akume seeks stronger institutional compliance
In a video message to the conference, Akume described the theme as timely, stressing that good governance depended on credible, transparent and accountable institutions capable of meeting citizens’ legitimate expectations.
He said the PCC, established to address maladministration and provide an accessible avenue for redress, had an important role in identifying institutional weaknesses and promoting administrative reforms.
“Complaints should not be viewed merely as criticism of government. They are also valuable sources of information for identifying institutional weaknesses, improving administrative processes and preventing the recurrence of systemic failures,” the SGF said.
Akume called for stronger collaboration between the commission and government ministries, departments and agencies, alongside effective mechanisms for monitoring and implementing its recommendations.
He also urged the PCC to embrace digital technology to facilitate the submission, tracking and resolution of complaints, while strengthening its institutional capacity and maintaining independence, impartiality and professionalism.
The SGF said President Bola Tinubu’s administration remained committed to institutional reform, accountability, efficiency and improved public service delivery under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Anyaoku advocates wider awareness of Ombudsman
Anyaoku called for greater public awareness of the Ombudsman’s services, describing the institution as an important avenue for ordinary Nigerians seeking redress against unfair treatment.
He cited cases involving unpaid pensions and gratuities owed to retired or dismissed employees, as well as inadequate care for patients in public and private hospitals, as examples of grievances that could leave citizens struggling to obtain remedies.
The former Commonwealth chief said the Ombudsman offered a less expensive and less cumbersome alternative to litigation, particularly for citizens who might struggle with the financial and procedural demands of court proceedings.
“In our relatively litigious society, which Nigeria is, I would like to stress the need for the widest possible public awareness of the less expensive and less cumbersome facility provided by the Ombudsman, which serves as a refuge for the aggrieved common man and woman,” he said.
Anyaoku expressed confidence in Abubakar’s leadership and urged participants to develop practical recommendations that would strengthen the commission’s capacity to protect citizens.
The speakers’ interventions reinforced calls for an administrative justice system in which complaints prompt institutional corrections and judicial decisions translate into tangible relief for citizens.
Abubakar maintained that the Ombudsman complemented, rather than replaced, the courts, legislature and anti-corruption agencies by providing an accessible investigative and conciliatory mechanism for resolving grievances and identifying administrative failures.
He urged the executive to embed compliance and administrative justice in public service operations, the legislature to sustain legal and oversight support for the commission, and the judiciary to recognise the complementary role of administrative redress mechanisms.
He also called on the private sector to uphold fair labour and consumer practices, while urging civil society organisations and the media to amplify citizens’ concerns.
The chief commissioner said the conference should produce concrete measures to reduce outstanding complaints, strengthen compliance with recommendations, improve digital access and integrate administrative justice into the daily operations of public institutions.
He stressed that the strength of democracy was determined not only by elections but also by the fairness with which institutions treated ordinary citizens.
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