Peace Corps Bill passes second reading in Senate

A bill for an Act to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps (NPC) to
empower, develop and provide alternative employment for youth to
facilitate peace and community services has passed second reading
in the Senate.

The passage on Tuesday was sequel to the presentation of the
lead debate by the sponsor of the bill, former Senate Leader,
Senator Ali Ndume, All Progressives Congress, APC, Borno South.

In his lead debate on the general principles of the bill, Ndume
who noted that the bill was read the first time in the 9th Senate
on December 17, 2019, however, reminded the President of the
Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan on how the Bill was introduced and
passed in the 8th Senate when he (Lawan) was the Senate leader.

Ndume said, “The Bill went through all legislative processes,
including Public Hearing and was overwhelmingly passed.

“The Bill also passed through all the same necessary legislative
crucibles in the House of Representatives and eventually
passed.”

Ndume who noted said that bill would give statutory backing to
the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria, which currently had over 187,
000 members, said, “This comprises of regular staff and volunteers
with a well-structured network of branches in 36 states of the
Federation including the Federal Capital Territory.”

According to him, the Peace Corps of Nigeria, which came into
existence in 1998, was an incorporated body by the Corporate
Affairs Commission (CAC), adding, “Based on its laudable
achievements over the years, the Peace Corps was accorded Federal
Government recognition, through the Federal Ministry of Youth and
Sports Development.

“On the international scene, the Corps was equally granted a
Special Consultative Status by the African Union (AU) and the
United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).”

Ndume further explained that the issues raised by President
Muhammadu Buhari as a reason for withholding assent to the Bill in
the 8th Senate had already been addressed in the new bill.

Senate leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, while seconding the
bill, urged his colleagues to give accelerated passage to the bill,
since it had already gone through the rudiments of lawmaking at
both chambers in the 8th National Assembly.

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan thereafter referred the
bill to the Committee on Interior, for further legislative
actions.

A bill for an Act to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps (NPC) to
empower, develop and provide alternative employment for youth to
facilitate peace and community services has passed second reading
in the Senate.

The passage on Tuesday was sequel to the presentation of the
lead debate by the sponsor of the bill, former Senate Leader,
Senator Ali Ndume, All Progressives Congress, APC, Borno South.

In his lead debate on the general principles of the bill, Ndume
who noted that the bill was read the first time in the 9th Senate
on December 17, 2019, however, reminded the President of the
Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan on how the Bill was introduced and
passed in the 8th Senate when he (Lawan) was the Senate leader.

Ndume said, “The Bill went through all legislative processes,
including Public Hearing and was overwhelmingly passed.

“The Bill also passed through all the same necessary legislative
crucibles in the House of Representatives and eventually
passed.”

Ndume who noted said that bill would give statutory backing to
the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria, which currently had over 187,
000 members, said, “This comprises of regular staff and volunteers
with a well-structured network of branches in 36 states of the
Federation including the Federal Capital Territory.”

According to him, the Peace Corps of Nigeria, which came into
existence in 1998, was an incorporated body by the Corporate
Affairs Commission (CAC), adding, “Based on its laudable
achievements over the years, the Peace Corps was accorded Federal
Government recognition, through the Federal Ministry of Youth and
Sports Development.

“On the international scene, the Corps was equally granted a
Special Consultative Status by the African Union (AU) and the
United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).”

Ndume further explained that the issues raised by President
Muhammadu Buhari as a reason for withholding assent to the Bill in
the 8th Senate had already been addressed in the new bill.

Senate leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, while seconding the
bill, urged his colleagues to give accelerated passage to the bill,
since it had already gone through the rudiments of lawmaking at
both chambers in the 8th National Assembly.

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan thereafter referred the
bill to the Committee on Interior, for further legislative
actions.