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As consultation continues over the Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill to some selected Federal Government Ministeries and Agencies, Peace Corps of Nigeria led by its founder and National Commandant, Prof. Dickson Akoh have visited the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Rt. Hon. Goodluck Nana Opiah.

The visit is meant to brief the ministry and the Honourable Minister over the state of the Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill and also the role the Corps is expected to play in Educational Institutions.

The Minister assured of a good working relationship with the Corps upon eventual assent by Mr. President of the Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill currently before him.

Upon presidential assent, the Corps is expected to function within educational institutions, neighborhood watch and many other functions outlined in the Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill.

When assented by Mr. President, the Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill is to solely give statutory backing to the already existing Peace Corps of Nigeria as evidently stated in the Harmonized copy of the bill currently before President Muhammad Buhari for his assent.

The National Assembly has kick-started the process of transmitting to the Presidency the Bill for an Act to establish the Nigeria Peace Corps with final harmonization of the Bill by the two Chambers.

The House of Representatives took the lead by constituting a six-man Conference Committee that would work with their Senate counterpart to harmonise and produce a clean copy of the Bill for onward transmission to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.

Members of the House Conference Committee are Hon Babangida Ibrahim (Chairman)  Hon Tijani Kayode Ismail, Hon Chinedu Ogah, Hon Ibrahim Umar Potiskum, Hon Abdulmumini Are and Hon Legor Idegbo as members.

On its part, the Senate’s Committee members
Senator Kashim Shettima, Chairman while
Senator Abba Moro, Senator Betty Apiafi, Senator Oriolowo Adelere,  Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe and Senator Seriake Dickson are members.

The Conference Committee members are expectedly to look at discrepancies and harmonize them before forwarding the clean copy to the Presidency.

It will be recalled that the Nigeria Peace Corps (NPC) Establishment Bill passed in 2022 by the two Chambers was sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee of the Nigerian Army, Senator Ali Ndume while that of the House of Representatives was sponsored by the Chief Whip, Rt Hon  Mohammed Monguno as HB17

Sources at the National Assembly confided in our correspondent that the harmonization would be completed before the National Lawmakers proceed on campaign recess next week.

One of the Lawmakers who did not want his name mentioned said that the harmonized copy of the Bill would reach President Buhari’s table early enough so as to quicken Presidential Assent to it.

The Bill, among others, seeks to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps as a body charged with the responsibility to develop, empower and provide gainful employment to youths, facilitate peace, volunteerism,, Community Service, Neighbourhood Watch and Nation building.

According to part Vlll of the passed Bill, when assented to by President Buhari, would give statutory backing to the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria.

The Peace Corps of Nigeria established over 24 years ago under the National Commandant, Professor Dickson Ameh Akoh is Incorporated in Nigeria under the Company and Allied Matters (CAMA) Act and accorded the Federal Government recognition through the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.

Due to the value driven programs of the Corps, aimed at the socio-economic empowerment of the Nigerian youths and its onerous contributions to peace building and advocacy, the United Nations in 2011 accorded the organization a Special Consultative Status while the African Union in 2016 accorded same status to the organization, thus, making it a member of the Social and Economic Councils of both the United Nations and the African Union.

So far, the organization has a well structured network of offices in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory FCT.

It has a membership strength of over 187,000 comprising of both regular staff and volunteers.

For the landmark achievements and accomplishments of the organization thus far, the Corps and its National Commandant have received over 110 Awards Nationally and Internationally.

© From Kayode Lawal, Abuja.

advocacy, the United Nations in 2011 accorded the organization a Special Consultative Status while the African Union in 2016 accorded same status to the organization, thus, making it a member of the Social and Economic Councils of both the United Nations and the African Union.

So far, the organization has a well structured network of offices in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory FCT.

The National Assembly Conference Committee set up by both Senate and the House of Representatives to harmonize the Bill for an Act to establish the Nigeria Peace Corps completed its assignment on Wednesday thereby clearing coast for transmission of the Bill to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.

The Harmonized Report of the Conference Committee which was laid and adopted by the House of Representatives today showed that the Conference adopted the version of the Bill as passed by in terms of clause 38(2).

Highlight of the adopted report is on clause 38 (1) of the version passed by the Senate which is in conflict with the version passed by the House of Representatives as contained under clause 38 (1).

Whereas the Senate’s version seeks dissolution of the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria and National Unity and Peace Corps, the House of Representatives version of the Bill solely recommends the dissolution of the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria to be transformed into the Nigerian Peace Corps when assented to President Buhari.

The Conference report clarified that for a Bill to become an Act of Parliament in Nigeria, it must pass through the two Chambers of the National Assembly, a criteria which the National Unity and Peace Corps Bill could not attain because its Bill was never debated unlike that of the Peace Corps of Nigeria debated and passed by the two Chambers.

However, the Bill for an Act to establish the Nigeria Peace Corps expressly provided under clause 38 (8) a window of opportunity for individuals, groups, associations or bodies that show or demonstrate interest to be absorbed as members of the Corps shall be absorbed subject to the mandatory basic training and orientation program of the Corps as may be prescribed from time to time when the Bill is signed into law.

Members of the Senate’s Committee are:
Senator Kashim Shettima, Chairman.
Senator Abba Moro member.
Senator Betty Apiafi Member.
Senator Oriolowo Adelere member
Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe member and
Senator Seriake Dickson member

Members of the House Conference Committee are Hon Babangida Ibrahim (Chairman)  Hon Tijani Kayode Ismail, Hon Chinedu Ogah, Hon Ibrahim Umar Potiskum, Hon Abdulmumini Are and Hon Legor Idegbo as members.

It will be recalled that the Nigeria Peace Corps (NPC) Establishment Bill passed in 2022 by the two Chambers was sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee of the Nigerian Army, Senator Ali Ndume while that of the House of Representatives was sponsored by the Chief Whip, Rt Hon  Mohammed Monguno as HB17

One of the Lawmakers who did not want his name mentioned said that the harmonized copy of the Bill would reach President Buhari’s table early enough so as to quicken Presidential Assent to it.

The Bill, among others, seeks to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps as a body charged with the responsibility to develop, empower and provide gainful employment to youths, facilitate peace, volunteerism,, Community Service, Neighborhood Watch and Nation building.

According to part Vlll of the passed Bill, when assented to by President Buhari, would give statutory backing to the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria.

The Peace Corps of Nigeria established over 24 years ago under the National Commandant, Professor Dickson Ameh Akoh is Incorporated in Nigeria under the Company and Allied Matters (CAMA) Act and accorded the Federal Government recognition through the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.

Due to the value driven programs of the Corps, aimed at the socio-economic empowerment of the Nigerian youths and its onerous contributions to peace building and advocacy, the United Nations in 2011 accorded the organization a Special Consultative Status while the African Union in 2016 accorded same status to the organization, thus, making it a member of the Social and Economic Councils of both the United Nations and the African Union.

So far, the organization has a well structured network of offices in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory FCT.

On the occasion of Nigeria’s 63rd Independence, Dr Dickson Akoh, National Commandant, Peace Corps of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to be proactive in dealings with the populace. Akoh made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday..

According to him, “the present economic situation citizens of the country are facing is a delicate one that requires the virtue of patience”. The Commandant appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience with the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

“The blame shouldn’t go to him alone because in the last 63 years, what we ought to have done but couldn’t do is what is accounting for where we find ourselves today. “Citizens also should understand the special situation the country has found herself and be hoping that with time, we’ll get out of this hardship,’’ he said.

Akoh expressed optimism that the present administration’s new economic policy would impact positively on the lives of citizens of the country. Going forward, the Commandant noted that Peace Corps is the sure way to go for Nigerian youths if crime and notoriety was to be adequately addressed in the country. He said the Corps was an indigenous innovation and not an idea borrowed or sold to Nigeria. He disclosed that the idea was born in the early 90s when he sat down with other young men to think on the way forward for Nigerian youths.

He said after comprehensive research, they discovered that a viable and productive venture where youths could be gainfully employed and better off was in the area of security of the nation. “There are a lot of porosity as far as security operation is concerned, it’s not an issue whereby any agency of government would say they are on top of the situation. “That is why we engage a good number of our youth and empower them to take charge of their local communities, local neighborhood,’’ he said.

Akoh told NAN that it was not all about arms importation or using kinetic approach, that non kinetic approach could also add serious value to the security architecture. “That is the way to go and that is what peace corps stands for,’’ he said.