The Public Independent Conciliator for the South West Region, Mme Telelen Dorothy Atabong spouse Motaze, was guest at the ‘make we talk’ slot of the pidgin news on Mount Cameroon FM Radio Station, with Kolle George on Tuesday, May 17 2022.
During this program, Mme the Public Independent Conciliator answered questions that enabled her to present to the public the missions, scope of the office and type of complaints handled by the office. She said ‘the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator is an institution whose doors are opened to users who are not satisfied with the services provided by the councils, and the office can mediate and provide solutions amicably.’
On the scope, Mme the Public Independent Conciliator pointed out that the mandate of the office covers the Regional Assembly, Local and City councils in the entire South West Region. She made it clear that every citizen in the region is under a council area and these councils deliver documents like birth certificates, death certificates, building permits to the public and other services like hygiene and sanitation and market control. It is good that all these be provided without issues. The Head of State, President Paul Biya created this office to address any problem that might arise from these services provided by the councils to the public.
Mme PIC, explained that the Governor’s office and the Regional Assembly are ‘important partners’ for the success of the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator, though she insisted on the independence of her office. She said her office is directly answerable to the President of the Republic where her reports are forwarded and copies later forwarded to the Governor of the Region and the President of the Regional Assembly. She stated categorically that the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator cannot receive complaints concerning the Governor’s office and other deconcentrated services but rather from users of Regional, City and Local administration.
On the relationship between her office and the court, she said the court does not interfere in the works of the office and vice versa. She advised that persons who have taken their complaints to the court cannot bring it to the office.
Listeners were also assured that the services of the office are ‘free of charge’. The only money a user can spend is his or her transportation fare to the office. They were also guaranteed that problems brought to OPIC are solved amicably, because we discuss the problem with the two parties seated, and we ensure that everybody leaves happily with the outcome.
Last but not the least, Mme PIC exhorted the public to have trust in the office. As head of the office she is bound to work hard to respect the missions of the office, be straight to the point, upholding honesty and impartiality. These constitute the engagement taken during the swearing in ceremony.
