Hope Rises For Peace Corps Bill As Senate Adopts Conference C’ttee Report

The establishment of the Nigeria Peace Corps has received a boost as the Senate has adopted the Report of the Conference Committee which was set up by the two chambers. The committees were  raised to harmonise the Bill for an Act to establish the Nigeria Peace Corps.

LEADERSHIP reports that the bill was earlier sent to President Muhammadu Buhari but he could not assent to it but the prevailing situation in the country is calling for the signing of the bill.

The Conference Committee set up earlier in the year by both the Senate and House of Representatives completed its assignment on Wednesday last week leading to the adoption by the House of Representatives on Thursday, 30th March, 2023.

The Harmonised Report of the Conference Committee which was laid and adopted by the Senate on Tuesday showed that the Conference Committee adopted the version of the Bill as passed by the House of Representatives.

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 by President Muhammadu 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 criterion which the National Unity and Peace Corps Bill could not attain because it 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 programme of the Corps as may be prescribed from time to time when the Bill is signed into

law.

The Senate Committee is chaired by Senator Kashim Shettima while the members are Abba Moro, Betty

Apiafi,  Oriolowo Adelere, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Seriake Dickson.

The members of the House Conference Committee are Hon Babangida Ibrahim (chairman), Tijani

Kayode Ismail, Chinedu Ogah, Ibrahim Umar Potiskum, Abdulmumini Are and Legor Idegbo.

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.

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, it would give statutory

backing to the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria.

The adoption of the report by both the Senate and the House of Representatives has brought to its

logical conclusion every legislative process involved in the enactment of a Bill.

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.