21st February, 2016
Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Lagos State Government has agreed to partner with the Public Complaints Commission, PCC, to fight injustice in the society.
The Federal Commissioner for PCC, Mr. Funsho Olukoga, had paid the Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Muslim Folami, a visit in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria to seek the state government’s support for the commission to fight injustice in the society.
According to Folami, the government would ensure that all the Executive Secretaries in all the Local Government Areas and the Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, in the state are sensitized on the need to collaborate with the Commission on the way forward to improve on their activities in their various communities.
He said the councils would also assist the commission to get additional contact points so as to reach out to all the communities in tackling injustice.
Folami charged the commission to ensure that it improved on its service delivery so that people could know more about the services it renders to the publics.
He assured the commission of providing additional offices in the Local Governments and LCDAs.
Speaking, Olukoga said the commission, established in 1975, had the main function of investigating any injustice that the citizens experienced in dealing with the government at all levels, agencies and corporate organizations as well.
He added that PCC is also swift to action whenever any act that might lead to injustice was reported as the body was bound to investigate such and write reports and recommendations.
Olukoga said the commission had earlier carried out its operations with the Ministries of Transportation, Justice and Office of the Public Defender, the Mediation Centre and other agencies so as to feel the pulse of the publics.
He explained that what informed reaching out to the Local government was to establish a cordial relationship with the leadership of councils and to resolve issues of injustices amicably, while assuring the government of the commission’s readiness to help the present administration achieve set goals.
Meanwhile, the state government has restated its commitment to achieve excellent service delivery in community development through the LGs and LCDAs in the area of re-orientation, training and re-training from the Ford Foundation.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, Mr. Jafar Sanuth said there was need to seek re-orientation of all council workers so as to improve on all the set agenda of the present administration, adding that it would provide appropriate technical back-up to government on valuation of assets and infrastructure.
He said the ministry had improved on the coordination and monitoring of Local Government systems, thereby promoting sustainable environment and preventive health care practice in all the communities in the state.
Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Mr. Babatunde Rotinwa said collaborating with the Ford Foundation would help improve on the set goals of the present administration.
The representative of the Ford Foundation, Mrs. Eva Kouka reiterated her organization’s readiness to assist the state government in the areas of sensitization and training the staff, especially at the grassroots, adding that these would make the government move closer to the communities.
She added that the organization was more interested in the communities so as to let them take ownership and having background information about whatever is coming to their domains.