The Public Complaints Commission has asked companies to show responsibility to the social, environmental and economic impacts of their operations in their host communities.
The Chief Commissioner of the Commission, Mr. Abimbola Ayo-Yusuf stated this during a one-day awareness workshop in Awka, themed “Systemic and proactive investigation into compliance to corporate social responsibility by private companies in Anambra”.
Declaring the event open, Mr. Ayo-Yusuf said that the awareness workshop was important as the benefits of Corporate Social Responsibilities are enormous and seals the bond between the company and their host communities and charged companies to live up to their corporate social responsibilities in order to enjoy and reap the fruits of their labour.
Mr. Ayo-Yusuf who was represented by Barrister Gabriel Eze of the Legal department of the commission, appreciated the office of the commission in the state for taking the right steps in educating and sensitizing the people on the need to always send in their complaints to the commission for investigation and prompt actions.
In his keynote address, the Anambra state Commissioner for Industry, Mr. Christian Udechukwu who was represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Mr. Chinedu Nwoye expressed happiness that the mandate of the commission is in line with the vision of the present administration in ensuring rapid development in all parts of the state and applauded the commission for holding companies accountable to their CSR which according to him, is a win-win for both the communities and companies.
In their various remarks, the Anambra state Commissioner for Environment, Engineer Felix Odimegwu and the Managing Director of Anambra Broadcasting Service, Sir Chido Obidiegwu pointed out that CSR is giving back to the society what companies have benefited therein and questioned the extent corporate organisations are abiding to fulfilling their corporate social responsibilities, the rate of monitoring from the commission and called on the federal government to properly fund the commission to enable them execute their mandate.
They called on organisations and individuals to key into the state government’s Public Private Community Partnership, PPCP model of development to enable them drive their CSR effectively in order to achieve the desired goals that will enhance productivity and development.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Anambra state Federal commissioner of the commission, Mrs/Emelda Nwajiofor-Okoli revealed that the commission has witnessed the effects of CSR initiative in the areas of education, healthcare and environmental sustainability and re-emphasized the need for more rigorous monitoring and enforcement to ensure that the Corporate Social Responsibilities are not just promises but actions that bring about real changes in the communities.
Delivering a paper, the State Director of the Commission, Mr. Charles Ekwunife said that the objectives of the town hall meeting was to create awareness and ensure that private companies adhere to CSR best practices that are beneficial to the environment and society as well as for their own sustainability.
Mr. Ekwunife explained that systemic investigation involves regular monitoring and evaluation of companies, CSR policies and practices, identification of trends and importance of compliance and non-compliance, and recommended the creation of CSR unit in Anambra state, development of a CSR framework for private companies, conduct of regular CSR training and capacity building programmes in the state, among others.
The event was attended by those in the private sectors, government officials and their agencies, local governments, town unions, the traditional institutions, National Youth Service Corps, youth organisations, anti-piracy agencies, academia, community stakeholders, among numerous others.