Again, Senate Passes Nigerian Peace Corps Bill

The ninth Senate has passed a bill seeking to give legal backing to the Peace Corps as a federal government paramilitary outfit.

Naija News understands the Senate passed the Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) Bill, 2022 on Tuesday following the consideration of its interior committee chaired by Senator Kashim Shettima.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume from Borno State.

It will be recalled that the Peace Corps bill was passed in 2017 by the 8th National Assembly and forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.

However, the President in February 2018, rejected the bill, citing lack of funds and duplication of roles as the reason behind his decision to reject the bill seeking to give legal backing to the establishment of the Peace Corps for them to become a federal government parastatal.

The bill was however re-introduced in the ninth Senate by Senator Ndume in December 2019 and has now been passed after going through all the necessary legislative processes.

The bill is expected to receive the concurrence of the House of Representatives before it will be transmitted to the President for his assent.

The National Commandant of the Peace Corps is Ambassador Dickson Akoh and the organization has over 187,000 members including staff and volunteers.