The Ombudsman to the Abia State Governor, Hon. Justice Kyrian Nwankpa (RTD) has described the establishment of the Ombudsman by Governor Alex Otti as a beacon for grassroot justice.
The independent establishment is tasked with the responsibility of addressing cases of injustice to ensure that citizens in Abia State have access to fair treatment and due process, regardless of their status.
Hon Justice Kyrian Nwankpa Rtd
Speaking to Newsmen in his office at Aguiyi Ironsi Conference Center, Finbarrs road Umuahia,Justice Nwankpa commended the present administration for it’s unwavering commitment to building an inclusive society.
He said the establishment of the Ombudsman is part of Governor Otti’s vision to reform the justice system and promote good governance across the state.
“The establishment of the Ombudsman office is part of Governor Alex Otti’s effort to create a more inclusive and just society.
“The Governor does not want to leave anyone behind. He wants everyone to have access to justice, and this office is proof of that commitment.
“If the Governor didn’t want to hear people’s complaints and know what to do for them, he wouldn’t bother to establish the office in the first instance.
“For the Governor to say, let me have an office that will deal with complaints from the grassroot that means it is important to him“, Justice Nwankpa stated.
He explained that the Ombudsman office primarily handles complaints from aggrieved citizens, particularly those unable to access higher authorities or courts.
“The office is essentially a public complaints office where people from the grassroots, who cannot move up the ladder to voice their grievances, can come with a petition.
“From what we have seen, alot of people are going about silently with their grievances.
“The purpose of the Ombudsman office is to receive complaints against public officials, high placed level individuals in the society, corporate bodies who one way or the other have trampled on the rights of common citizens who cannot pursue their rights to a very high extent.
“Our role is to investigate these complaints, reach out to those involved, and recommend appropriate action“, he said.
Justice Nwankpa Rtd
He said that the Office since its inception has received and investigated over 15 complaints, mostly involving civil service disputes and stressed that complaints must be submitted in writing to ensure that all facts can be thoroughly investigated.
“We insist on written petitions because we need something to rely on when investigating. Not everything in a petition is accepted as it is; we scrutinize the facts to ensure they are substantiated,” he explained.
Justice Nwankpa therefore called on the public to make good use of the existence of the establishment to report any cases of rights violation or abuse of power by public office holders to the Ombudsman office, located at the Aguiyi Ironsi Conference Center or call 08068084633.
He assured that every complaint brought to the office would be handled with fairness, transparency, and devoid of bias. “The people we have served so far are satisfied, and I urge more people to come forward with their grievances“, he said.
