The Public Complaints Commission has been plunged into disarray as three labour unions demand the full implementation of the approved Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS), arguing that the Commission should receive the same salary structure as the National Assembly Service Commission.
This demand has led to a series of conciliation meetings and protests, ultimately culminating in an act of violence and disruption.
Chief Commissioner of the Federation, Abimbola Ayo-Yusuf, described the agitation as illegal and stated that the Management had made efforts to pursue the approval, but due to inadequate budgetary allocation, the approved salary structure could not be fully implemented. “The Public Complaints Commission is not under the National Assembly as regards appointment, promotion, discipline, and remuneration of its Staff,” he emphasised, deeming the unions’ demand for parity with the National Assembly Service Commission as illegal and beyond the bounds of unionism.
Ayo-Yusuf highlighted the achievements of the Commission under his leadership, including resolving over 499,500 complaints from members of the public and recovering 186 million naira for various complainants.
Additionally, infrastructure development, systemic investigations, and a robust publicity drive were also mentioned.
In response to the unrest, the two Chairmen overseeing the Commission at the National Assembly called for peace and pledged to engage the National Assembly’s leadership to address the funding issues. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment was also urged to intervene and restore order.
The situation remains tense as the Commission seeks to resolve the labour dispute and ensure the welfare of its staff while fulfilling its mandate of addressing public complaints.
