House Of Reps Passes the Peace Corps of Nigeria Bill for Third Time, Awaits Senate Concurrence

Again, the House of Representatives has passed a bill seeking the conversion of the Nigeria Peace Corps into a para-military organization.

The bill was passed for the third reading during the Thursday plenary of the house.

It would now be forwarded to the Senate for concurrence before it would be transmitted to President Tinubu for his assent.

The bill was first passed by the Eight National Assembly in 2018 and forwarded to former President Buhari, who refused to assent to it.

Again, the bill was passed by the ninth national assembly and transmitted to President Tinubu in June 2023 to assent to it.

The bill lapsed because Tinubu did not assent to it before the tenure of the ninth assembly ended.

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Again, National Assembly Passes Bill Establishing Peace Corps

The Bill which was jointly sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, and House Majority Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere 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 to facilitate peace, volunteerism, Community Services, Neighborhood Watch and Nation building.

By this passage, the Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill will be transmitted to the Senate for concurrence and eventual transmission to the President for assent.

The Peace Corps of Nigeria established over 25 years ago by the National Commandant, Dr Dickson 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 and granted license to operate in the Country as a Non-Governmental Organization by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.