One late February afternoon, distressed about her family’s land dispute, Nguyen Cam Van (residing in Tang Nhon Phu A Ward of Thu Duc City) visited the Thu Duc City Citizen Reception Office. She admitted being agitated, but praised the staff's patience and attentive support, which helped her calm down and understand the process.
Linh Chieu Ward resident Nguyen Vu Duc Truong faced a permit issue. His house was smaller than the approved plans, blocking completion certification for the construction work. The Thu Duc City Citizen Reception Board escalated the unusual case to the People’s Committee, which began review within a week. This highlights the diverse cases they normally handle.
According to Deputy Chief Inspector Nguyen Thi Thanh, Head of the Thu Duc City Citizen Reception Board, the unit receives an average of 70 cases daily, excluding mass receptions, which is a demanding job requiring staff to possess strong interpersonal skills, a thorough understanding of current regulations, and the ability to stay up-to-date on any changes.
In some instances, direct intervention by state leaders of a locality has proven effective in resolving complaints. A case in Binh Tan District illustrates this point. A citizen disagreed with the pension and social insurance benefits offered, due to policy changes. Despite six meetings with the Binh Tan District People’s Committee Vice Presidents, no resolution was reached.
The Chairman of the Binh Tan District People’s Committee then led a meeting with the citizen and issued specific directives for resolving the issue. A subtle yet effective tactic employed by the Chairman was engaging a respected community figure to mediate. Following this meeting, the citizen accepted the proposed solution and ceased pursuing further appeals.
Chief Inspector Tran Van Bay of HCMC commended the city’s progress over the past decade since the implementation of the 2013 Law on Citizen Reception. He noted that the deployment of staff directly involved in citizen reception is well-structured, ensuring both sufficient quantity and high quality.
He attributed the continued effectiveness of citizen reception, despite the rising volume of petitions, to the leadership’s guidance and the proactive approach of the entire city administration. This, he asserted, has helped to reduce the number of appeals to higher authorities and maintain positive outcomes in citizen reception and the resolution of complaints and denunciations.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh further acknowledged that complaints and petitions related to compensation, land acquisition, resettlement, and land use remain prevalent, placing considerable strain on her team. She emphasized the urgent need for a more specialized citizen reception workforce with a balanced structure, as well as enhanced training and capacity building.
Ensuring a high-quality citizen reception workforce is a key priority for HCMC. This is essential for promptly addressing emerging issues and fostering consensus between citizens and the government, particularly in infrastructure investment and upgrade projects. It is also a crucial factor in driving the city's socio-economic development.
Standing Vice Chairman Duong Ngoc Hai of the HCMC People’s Committee stressed the importance of deploying staff with both sufficient quantity and quality, especially in the context of streamlining government operations and reducing staff numbers. He added that the city is committed to providing professional development opportunities, timely recognition and rewards, and a well-defined career progression pathway to motivate the citizen reception team.
He has, therefore, instructed the Department of Home Affairs, in collaboration with the HCMC Inspectorate and the HCMC Citizen Reception Board, to develop a comprehensive and practical training program. He also directed them to propose evaluation criteria and a system of rewards linked to the effectiveness of citizen reception work.
These measures are expected to significantly improve the quality of the workforce and meet the growing demands of citizen reception for resolutions of complaints and denunciations in the city.
Citizen reception statistics in HCMC from 2014 to 2024:
- Total receptions: 462,883 individuals/398,594 visits for complaints, denunciations, petitions, and feedback.
- Regular and ad hoc receptions by leaders: 72,644 individuals/68,537 visits, including 371 direct receptions by the Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee.
- Total applications received: 398,469.
- Applications processed: 398,105/398,469.
The municipal Department of Home Affairs and the HCMC Inspectorate jointly organized 29 training sessions on inspection skills, citizen reception, application processing, and complaint/denunciation resolution for 3,015 officials and civil servants.
The HCMC Inspectorate, in coordination with city departments, agencies, the People’s Committees of all districts and Thu Duc City, organized 3,207 public awareness campaigns on citizen reception law for 211,447 officials, civil servants, public employees, and citizens.
(Source: the HCMC Inspectorate)
