On Thursday 24th November 2016, the Nigerian Peace Corps (NPC) Bill, 2016 was read for the third time and passed by the Senate. The bill seeks to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps to empower develop and provide alternative employment for youths, facilitate peace, volunteerism, community services and nation building. The Nigerian Peace Corps Bill, 2016 sponsored by Sen. Ali Ndume (APC: Borno) and the National Unity and Peace Corps Bill, 2016 sponsored by Sen. Binta Masi Garba (APC: Adamawa) were read for the second time in March 2016 and referred to the Committee on Interior.
Presenting the report of the Committee, Sen. Bayero Nafada (APC: Gombe) noted that of the Two hundred and thirty seven (237) written memoranda received by the committee when it conducted a public hearing on the bill in April 2016, Two hundred and nineteen (219) were in support of the establishment of the Nigerian Peace Corps while Fourteen (14) supported the establishment of the Nigerian Unity and Peace Corps.
He further highlighted that the Ministry of Interior, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) in their presentations did not support the establishment of either the Nigerian Peace Corps or National Unity and Peace Corps.
The committee therefore recommended as follows:
- That the two bills be merged into one bill;
- That the title of the new bill is “Nigerian Peace Corps bill, 2016”
- That the Head of the Corps will be a Commandant General with six (6) deputy commandants-General and Six (6) Assistant Commandants-General drawn from the Six (6) geopolitical zones which should reflect the Federal Character principle; and
- That the Corps should be domiciled under the Federal Ministry of Interior
Following a clause by clause consideration of the bill the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki (APC:Kwara) noted that the bill’s passage will institutionalize the
Nigerian Peace Corps as it would have a stronger framework . He was also optimistic that the Nigerian Peace corps would provide employment for young people across the country.
