The Senate in plenary today adopted the Report of the Conference Committee which was set up by the Two Chambers to harmonise the Bill for an Act to establish the Nigeria Peace Corps.
The Conference Committee set up earlier in the year by the Senate and House of Representatives completed its assignment on Wednesday last week leading to the laying and adoption of the Report by the House of Representatives on 30th of March, 2023.
In the harmonized report of the Conference Committee which was laid and adopted by the Senate today, the apex legislative Chamber adopted the version of the bill as passed by the House of Representatives.
While presenting the report for adoption, Senator Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa) hinted that there was a discrepancy between the version of the bill passed by the Senate and the one passed by the House of Representatives.
According to Dickson, the discrepancy was on clause 38 (1) of the version passed by the Senate which was in conflict with the version passed by the House of Representatives as contained under clause 38 (1).
Whereas the Senate’s version sought dissolution of the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria and National Unity and Peace Corps, the House of Representatives version of the Bill solely recommends the dissolution of the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria to be transformed into the Nigerian Peace Corps when assented to President Buhari.
The Conference report clarified that for a Bill to become an Act of Parliament in Nigeria, it must pass through the two Chambers of the National Assembly, a criteria which the National Unity and Peace Corps Bill could not attain because its Bill was never debated unlike that of the Peace Corps of Nigeria debated and passed by the two Chambers.
However, the Bill for an Act to establish the Nigeria Peace Corps expressly provided under clause 38 (8) a window of opportunity for individuals, groups, associations or bodies that show or demonstrate interest to be absorbed as members of the Corps shall be absorbed subject to the mandatory basic training and orientation program of the Corps as may be prescribed from time to time when the Bill is signed into law.
Members of the Senate’s Committee are:
Senator Kashim Shettima, Chairman.
Senator Abba Moro member.
Senator Betty Apiafi Member.
Senator Oriolowo Adelere member
Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe member and
Senator Seriake Dickson member
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 will 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 as HB17.
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.
According to the sponsors of the bill, the organization has a well structured network of offices in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Abuja.
