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By Henry Umoru, ABUJA
The National Assembly has begun the process of transmitting to President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to a Bill for an Act to establish the Nigeria Peace Corps with final harmonization of the Bill by the two Chambers.
As part of the moves, the Senate yesterday constituted a conference committee to harmonise with the Committee of the House of Representatives.
The conference Committee which has Senator Kashim Shettima, APC, Borno Central as Chairman, Senator Abba Moro, PDP, Benue South; Senator Betty Apiafi, PDP, Rivers West; Senator Adelere Oriolowo, APC, Osun West; Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, APGA, Abia South and Senator Seriake Dickson, PDP, Bayelsa West as members.
The Conference Committee members are expected to look at discrepancies and harmonize them before forwarding the clean copy to the Presidency.
Recall that the House of Representatives took the lead by constituting a six-man Conference Committee that would work with their Senate counterpart to harmonise and produce a clean copy of the Bill for onward transmission to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.
Members of the House Conference Committee are Hon Babangida Ibrahim (Chairman) Hon Tijani Kayode Ismail, Hon Chinedu Ogah, Hon Ibrahim Umar Potiskum, Hon Abdulmumini Are and Hon Legor Idegbo as members.
It would be recalled that 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.
Strong Indications have emerged that the harmonization would be completed before the National Lawmakers proceed on campaign recess next week.
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, Neighborhood Watch and Nation building.
According to part Vlll of the passed Bill, when assented to by President Buhari, would give statutory backing to the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria.
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.
The United Nations had in 2011 accorded the organization a Special Consultative Status while the African Union in 2016 accorded the same status to the organization, thus, making it a member of the Social and Economic Councils of both the United Nations and the African Union.
The organization has offices in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
It has a membership strength of over 187,000 comprising of both regular staff and volunteers.
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