The long awaiting Peace Corps bill is now waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari's assent, reports ITREALMS.
ITREALMS gathered, it has been forwarded to Buhari who is expected to assent to it before leaving office on May 29, 2023.
The Punch also reported that the Clerk to the National Assembly, Magaji Tambuwal, transmitted the bill to the President through a letter on Wednesday, April 12.
When assented to, the bill would become an Act and thus have the Federal Government fund and own the volunteer corps like other paramilitary agencies.
ITREALMS recalls that prior to PMB re-election in 2019, he had rejected the bill in 2018, citing financial constraints and security challenges.
He had said due to “scarce resources”, funding the organisation would impose a financial burden on the Federal Government.
The Peace Corps of Nigeria was established in 1998 by a youth development advocate and strategist, Dickson Akoh, who has spent decades pushing for government funding and ownership of the corps.
Equally, Ako has argued that the organisation would support the nation’s security architecture in facing the challenges of terrorism and other forms of criminality.
Ako noted that despite the organisation providing jobs for teeming youths in the country, he is ready to relinquish his position should the government accept to own the organisation.
Currently running its offices across Nigeria, the corps is funded largely by private organisations and individuals who engage its services.
Thousands of its volunteers also hope that the President assent to the bill to enable the corps to enjoy government ownership like the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, which the government took over after a similar law signed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
The transmission followed the adoption of the report of the conference committee set up by both chambers of the National Assembly to harmonise the bill last Tuesday.
Further, ITREALMS gathered that the Peace Corps bill sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume, promises to empower and provide employment for youths and facilitate peace, volunteerism, community service and nation-building.
The Punch also reported that the Clerk to the National Assembly, Magaji Tambuwal, transmitted the bill to the President through a letter on Wednesday, April 12.
When assented to, the bill would become an Act and thus have the Federal Government fund and own the volunteer corps like other paramilitary agencies.
ITREALMS recalls that prior to PMB re-election in 2019, he had rejected the bill in 2018, citing financial constraints and security challenges.
He had said due to “scarce resources”, funding the organisation would impose a financial burden on the Federal Government.
The Peace Corps of Nigeria was established in 1998 by a youth development advocate and strategist, Dickson Akoh, who has spent decades pushing for government funding and ownership of the corps.
Equally, Ako has argued that the organisation would support the nation’s security architecture in facing the challenges of terrorism and other forms of criminality.
Ako noted that despite the organisation providing jobs for teeming youths in the country, he is ready to relinquish his position should the government accept to own the organisation.
Currently running its offices across Nigeria, the corps is funded largely by private organisations and individuals who engage its services.
Thousands of its volunteers also hope that the President assent to the bill to enable the corps to enjoy government ownership like the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, which the government took over after a similar law signed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
The transmission followed the adoption of the report of the conference committee set up by both chambers of the National Assembly to harmonise the bill last Tuesday.
Further, ITREALMS gathered that the Peace Corps bill sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume, promises to empower and provide employment for youths and facilitate peace, volunteerism, community service and nation-building.
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