The much-anticipated Nigerian Peace Corps Bill has arrived the
Presidency for a possible assent, Ita Enang, President Muhammadu
Buhari’s special adviser on Senate, has confirmed to our
reporter.
“The peace corp bill has just been forwarded to the president
and it is undergoing the standard procedure,” Mr. Enang said
Tuesday in a telephone interview.
He said copies of the bill, tagged ‘Nigerian Peace Corps
(Establishment) Bill 2017, were transmitted to President Buhari
late last week by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani
Omolori.
Mr. Enang said if the bill is signed, the president will retain
one copy and return the remaining two copies to the National
Assembly for further action.
The Senate passed the bill on November 25, 2016, shortly after
the House of Representatives passed the same bill.
A conference committee of both chambers was inaugurated on
December 8, 2016, to harmonise the bill.
The House of Representatives laid and adopted its conference
report on January 19, 2017, while the Senate adopted its report on
July 25, 2017.
Mr. Enang did not explain why it took long for the bill to sent
to the presidency.
When signed into law, the Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment)
Bill 2017, will give legal backing to the establishment of Peace
Corps of Nigeria.
The bill will also allow all serving members of the Peace Corps
of Nigeria, both regular and volunteers, to be absolved into the
Nigerian Peace Corps, at commencement.
The Nigerian police had stormed the Peace Corps headquarters on
February 17, 2017 and arrested the head of the organisation,
Dickson Akoh, and about 49 other members.
The police accused Mr. Akoh of using the Peace Corps, registered
as a non-governmental organisation, to swindle young job seekers
and operate as a para-military agency.
Mr. Akoh, who denied the allegations, has since been granted
bail.
The Federal High Court in Abuja subsequently ordered the Nigeria
Police to unseal the headquarters of the Peace Corps and pay N12.5
million as damages.
The police has not complied with the order.
The much-anticipated Nigerian Peace Corps Bill has arrived the
Presidency for a possible assent, Ita Enang, President Muhammadu
Buhari’s special adviser on Senate, has confirmed to our
reporter.
“The peace corp bill has just been forwarded to the president
and it is undergoing the standard procedure,” Mr. Enang said
Tuesday in a telephone interview.
He said copies of the bill, tagged ‘Nigerian Peace Corps
(Establishment) Bill 2017, were transmitted to President Buhari
late last week by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani
Omolori.
Mr. Enang said if the bill is signed, the president will retain
one copy and return the remaining two copies to the National
Assembly for further action.
The Senate passed the bill on November 25, 2016, shortly after
the House of Representatives passed the same bill.
A conference committee of both chambers was inaugurated on
December 8, 2016, to harmonise the bill.
The House of Representatives laid and adopted its conference
report on January 19, 2017, while the Senate adopted its report on
July 25, 2017.
Mr. Enang did not explain why it took long for the bill to sent
to the presidency.
When signed into law, the Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment)
Bill 2017, will give legal backing to the establishment of Peace
Corps of Nigeria.
The bill will also allow all serving members of the Peace Corps
of Nigeria, both regular and volunteers, to be absolved into the
Nigerian Peace Corps, at commencement.
The Nigerian police had stormed the Peace Corps headquarters on
February 17, 2017 and arrested the head of the organisation,
Dickson Akoh, and about 49 other members.
The police accused Mr. Akoh of using the Peace Corps, registered
as a non-governmental organisation, to swindle young job seekers
and operate as a para-military agency.
Mr. Akoh, who denied the allegations, has since been granted
bail.
The Federal High Court in Abuja subsequently ordered the Nigeria
Police to unseal the headquarters of the Peace Corps and pay N12.5
million as damages.
The police has not complied with the order.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/just-in-finally-peace-corps-bill-arrives-presidency-for-assent/