The Senate on Thursday passed the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill into law, thus giving a vote of confidence for the establishment of the Nigerian Peace Corps as an agency under the Ministry of Interior.
The committee chairman, Senator Bayero Nafada, (APC Gombe), while presenting the report of the Committee on Interior on the floor of the Senate, called on the Senate to support the passage of the Bill, saying “the organisation will be of great benefit to the Nigerian youths”
He said: “The organisation will be of great benefit to the Nigerian youths (because) in response to increasing complexity of the factors responsible for insecurity and the method by which peace and security is being undermined in Nigeria, there is need to develop comprehensive, multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholders and inclusive approaches in order to stem these threats.”
He also called on the senate to merge the Nigerian Peace Corps and the National Unity and Peace Corps as one, since both formations appear the same.
Speaking further, Senator Nafada said the committee received 237 written memoranda and numerous oral submissions from government ministries, traditional institutions, religious bodies, academia, NGOs, other various interest groups and individuals.
“Two Hundred and Nineteen (219) of the written memoranda received and most of the oral presentations at the hearing supported the establishment of the Nigerian Peace Corps while Fourteen (14) supported the establishment of National Unity and Peace Corps,” he added.
The Senate had at during sitting on Thursday, March 10, 2016 debated on the general principles of the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill, 2016 (SB.173) sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume and the National Unity and Peace Corps Bill, 2016 (SB.183) sponsored by Senator Binta Garba Masi and referred it to the committee for further legislative action.
The Nigerian Peace Corps Bill, among others, seeks to empower, develop and provide gainful employment for the youths, to facilitate Peace, Volunteerism, Community Services, Neighbourhood Watch and Nation-building.
