By Wendy Nweke
The National Commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, Professor Dickson Akoh says, the grey areas in the Nigerian Peace Corps bill which prevented it from being assented to by the President have been addressed.
Professor Akoh stated this while addressing newsman in Abuja on the recently passed bill.
He explained that the bill was sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Nigerian Army, Senator Ali Ndume and the House Chief Whip, Alhaji Mohammed Monguno.
Professor Akoh stated that the Bill, seeks to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps with the responsibility to develop, empower and provide gainful employment to youths, facilitate peace, volunteerism,, Community Service, Neighborhood Watch and Nation building.
He said that the Bill when accented to by President Buhari, would give statutory backing to the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria.
Our Correspondent reports that the Peace Corps of Nigeria was established over 24 years ago and Incorporated in Nigeria under the Company and Allied Matters (CAMA) Act and accorded the Federal Government recognition through the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.
For the second time, the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) Establishment Bill was on Wednesday, December 7, 2022 passed by the two Chambers of the National Assembly.
With the overwhelming passage of the Bill on its merit, all is now set for the Clerk of the National Assembly to transmit the Bill to President Muhammadu Buhari for Presidential Accent.
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 Bill passed, the Bill when accented to by President Buhari, would give statutory backing to the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria.
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.
