Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Sen. Neda Imasuen, has said a proposed bill before the Senate will strengthen the Public Complaints Commission and provide better protection for whistleblowers.
Imasuen said the bill is designed to improve the commission’s ability to respond to complaints from Nigerians and serve as a more effective national ombudsman institution.
The bill, which seeks to repeal and re-enact the Public Complaints Commission Act, scaled second reading during plenary on Tuesday.
Speaking with journalists after presenting the bill, Imasuen said the current law had become outdated and needed to be reviewed to reflect present-day realities.
According to him, the existing Public Complaints Commission Act was enacted more than two decades ago and does not fully address modern challenges, including technology-driven complaints and the need for stronger citizen protection.
He said the proposed law would make the commission more efficient, independent and responsive to the welfare concerns of Nigerians.
Imasuen said the main purpose of the bill is to strengthen the agency so it can carry out its responsibilities more effectively.
He explained that the commission plays an important role in helping citizens seek redress, especially those who cannot afford expensive legal action.
The senator said one of the major features of the proposed law is a whistleblower protection framework.
According to him, many Nigerians have useful information on wrongdoing, insecurity and abuse of office but are afraid to speak because of fear for their safety.
He said proper legal protection would encourage citizens to share information with relevant authorities without fear of victimisation.
Imasuen added that if the framework becomes law, it could improve information gathering for security agencies and other public institutions.
He said whistleblower protection would also promote accountability and strengthen public trust in government institutions.
Responding to questions, the senator explained that the Public Complaints Commission mainly handles civil complaints and disputes.
He said criminal matters brought before the commission would be referred to appropriate law enforcement agencies.
Imasuen also clarified the procedure for submitting petitions to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
According to him, petitions must follow established legislative channels, either through a senator representing the petitioner’s constituency or through referral by the Senate President to the relevant committee.
He said the proposed legislation would go through further scrutiny during a public hearing.
Imasuen expressed hope that stakeholders, including the media, civil society groups, legal experts and members of the public, would participate actively in the process.
He said their contributions would help improve the bill before final passage.
The senator maintained that a stronger Public Complaints Commission would give ordinary Nigerians better access to justice, improve service delivery and promote accountability in public administration.
He added that the bill would help reposition the commission as a modern institution capable of responding to citizens’ complaints in a fair, timely and effective manner.
