Employees of the Public Complaints Commission bravely staged a protest at the National Assembly building to voice their concerns over unpaid salary and benefits. The large number of demonstrators brought attention to the severe financial hardships that the commission’s staff members have been going through.
A staff member who spoke to The Bureau Newspaper and wished to remain anonymous exposed pervasive corruption within the commission. The source claims that the chairman has continuously opposed enforcing the newly approved CONLESS salary, which was established in 2021. Due to the commission’s purported financial difficulties, the chairman has ordered that only a portion of the salaries be paid. In the meantime, he and his close friends are charged with living in luxury and giving family members contracts for hundreds of millions of dollars.
“There is a great deal of corruption within the commission. The staff member revealed, “The Chairman and his cronies enjoy a lavish lifestyle, funded by contracts awarded he awarded to his families running into hundreds of millions of Naira, while we struggle to make ends meet in these hard economic times.” “We are living in abject poverty, and it’s unjust.”
The staff’s choice to demonstrate highlights how dire their situation is. The Public Complaints Commission is currently embroiled in scandal as a result of its workers’ complaints about corruption and neglect. The commission was founded as an ombudsman to handle public concerns and advance administrative justice.
In addition to demanding quick government action to remedy their outstanding pay, the demonstrators are demanding a thorough investigation of the commission’s financial and administrative procedures. The protest outside the National Assembly complex is a powerful reminder of the importance of accountability and openness in public institutions, particularly in those charged with maintaining justice and equity.
Regarding the protest and the accusations made against the panel’s leadership, neither the government nor the chairman of the commission have yet to issue an official statement. In the hopes that their voices will result in significant change and a solution to their financial problems, the Public Complaints Commission staff waits for action.