Luanda — The Ombudsman's Office received, in 2023, about five thousand complaints from citizens, of which two thousand were resolved, mostly related to the procedural slowness of the courts, land conflicts, pensioners and abuse of power.
The data were made public on Thursday, in Luanda, by the Ombudswoman, Florbela Araújo, at the opening ceremony of the II Extended Consultative Council of the body, which takes place under the motto: "The Ombudsperson - Challenges for Speed and Efficiency".
Florbela Araújo pointed out, on the occasion, that any citizen who sees their rights violated can contact the Ombudsperson by any of the means, either by hearing, by email, whatsApp or by phone.
She pointed out that the Ombudsperson, the Deputy Ombudsperson, the directors and the executives, whenever they saw something that violated the rights of citizens, they acted, set up groups and went to see what happened on the spot.
She expressed concern about the procedural slowness of the courts, the excessive pre-trial detention in some prisons and the non-payment of compensation for some prisoners who finish their sentence and are not released due to non-payment of this compensation.
She recalled that, although the Penal Code stipulates that no one can be imprisoned for not paying compensation, "but sometimes family members abandon him and there is no one to be responsible for the release of this citizen, who can be released on parole".
She added that the Ombudsman's Office has been faced with situations of private individuals who contribute to Social Security, but that this money does not reach the institution of law and with cases of abuse of power by some authorities "who sanction and institute disciplinary proceedings without nexus".
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"We feel that the duty of cooperation has been improved, although we still see some who do not respect or dignify the Ombudsman," she acknowledged.
The Ombudsman represents a vital institution in the system of free or administrative safeguards that is at the service of citizens in general and plays an indispensable role in the defence of fundamental rights, freedoms and guarantees.
Among the priorities for the next year, she highlighted the opening of more provincial services of the Ombudsman's Office, in order to bring the citizen closer to the ombudsperson, considering it important that "no citizen feels excluded or distant from the figure of the ombudsman".
Florbela Araújo congratulated the bodies of the Public Administration for their cooperation with the body in resolving numerous solutions to the complaints presented by citizens, "which demonstrates respect for the Constitutional precept with regard to a democratic State of law and draws attention to those holders of political or equivalent positions who do not respect the institution".
She noted that the institutions need to look at the Ombudsman as an institution at the forefront of citizens" fundamental rights and not as another organ of the State.
