Peace Corps National Commandant, Prof Akoh Seeks Buhari’s to assent to Nigeria Peace Corps Bill.

By Kayode Lawal, Abuja.
April 20, 2023

The National Commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Professor, Dickson Ameh Akoh has appealed passionately with President Muhammadu Buhari to this time around, assent to a Bill for an Act that would make the organization a statutory body.

The Bill for an Act to Establish the Nigerian Peace Corps (NPC) passed by the two Chambers of the National Assembly is currently on the table of President Buhari for assent having been transmitted to him last week.

However, addressing a World Press Conference on the development in Abuja on Thursday, Prof Akoh said that President Buhari will bequeath a lasting parting gift to the Nigerian youth and would be remembered for good when he assented to the Bill.

Justifying the need for Buhari to sign the Bill, Akoh explained that its entire contents, especially the functions contained in the Bill is a summation of an inclusive empowerment programmes for the youth and on how to harness their innate potentials for the over all tasks of nation-building.

According to him, the passage of the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill is not only timely, reassuring and a renewed hope for the Nigerian youth, but also a pointer to the fact that the political elites is still very much conscious of the social challenges confronting the youth and therefore, passionate on proffering solutions to the challenges to same in order to place the youth in the front burner of our national life.

Akoh said to underscore the high level of acceptability of the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill, opinion polls conducted in 2017 by The Nation Newspaper, Naija.com and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA-Good Morning Nigeria) revealed that 89%, 76% and 97% respectively supported the establishment of the Nigerian Peace Corps.

Similarly, he said that Premium Times, an online publication and Punch Newspaper conducted opinion poll on the Bill and returned a favourable verdict of 85% and 93% respectively in its support.

“Concerned with the increasing waves of unemployment and high level of poverty in the land, both past and present administrations initiated different intervention policies to mitigate these challenges.

“Some of these initiatives are Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SURE-P), You- Win, Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), N-Power, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), Government Intervention Funds (GIF), Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) and Social Safety Net (SSN).

“It is a proven fact and incontrovertible reality that once these ‘Financial Handouts’ are no longer forthcoming or delayed in coming, these same Youths go back to the streets on protest or quickly revert to social ills and unproductive preoccupations, and even sometimes back-lashing the Government.

“However, it is advisable that a more robust, sustainable and institutionalized approach be adopted to ensure irreversibility of conditions and welfare status of our youths. In more developed economies, efforts are tailored towards the pre-occupation of the youths in productive ventures where they will be economically useful to themselves and the larger society.

“This is in addition to engaging them in moral, citizenship and leadership training aimed at character building and their valuable participation in nation-building.

“In the United States of America, for instance, the American Peace Corps was created as an agency to promote World Peace and Friendship by training American youths as volunteers to perform social and humanitarian services overseas, including Nigeria.

“The volunteers help communities in Developing Countries improve their Social and Economic conditions.

“The dynamic nature of insecurity in Nigeria today requires role differentiation as a panacea to expertise in addressing security challenges. It also requires multi- sectoral, multi- lateral and multi- dimensional approaches to tackle.

“In more advanced societies, Youth Based Organisations like the Nigerian Peace Corps, are established with the sole aim of engaging and pre-occupying the youths as a panacea to the social consequences of been unemployed.

“Similar organisations that exist in other parts of the world are: the American Peace Corps, Canadian Peace Corps, Bangladesh National Cadet Corps, Peace Officers Commission in China, Chinese Labour Corps, Lera Uniform Corps of Malaysia, Malaysian People Volunteer Corps, Production and Construction Corps of China.

“All these are consciously and deliberately designed to empower and socially pre-occupy the youths so that their state of idleness won’t be exploited adversely.

Akoh thanked the leadership and entire members of the 9th National Assembly for the extraordinary and unanimous support given to his Organisation all through the legislative processes leading to the eventual passage of the Bill for an Act to Establish Nigerian Peace Corps.

He said that the overwhelming support accorded the Bill by the members of the Senate and House of Representatives would be recognised and celebrated by all bonafide members of the Corps.

“While we particularly note with deep appreciation, the cordial efforts and support for our Bill, it is our most considered view that the members of the 9th Assembly, have through the passage of the Bill, demonstrated their strong passion and commitment to the emancipation of Nigerian Youth through genuine youth empowerment and development, which are prerequisite for addressing the increasing wave of unemployment and its social consequences upon the nation.

“However, we assure them that when the history of this Organisation is written, their names will have a pride of place and be written in gold.

Akoh also thanked media in the country for the support to the Peace Corps and the eventual passage of the Bill.

“II wish to re-assure you that we will remain a veritable partner as we hope to transit from a Non-Governmental Organisation to a Government Agency with the anticipated assent of the Bill by Mr President”.

At least it will boost our forces

All these force for naija and crminals and bandits still dey celebrate sallah

Do we really need it in this country? Even Civil defence that is already overbloatted is doing nothing. Most of them sit under Mango trees to gossip, fornicate and commit adultery while others don't even know what they are employed for

Nonsense. Peace corps should go and sleep. This is what they do in every election circle. Before you know, some guys in different states, serving as errand boys will start collecting money from desperate job seekers. I fell victim in 2015 with my hard earned #56,000 then.

tony0806:
Nonsense. Peace corps should go and sleep. This is what they do in every election circle. Before you know, some guys in different states, serving as errand boys will start collecting money from desperate job seekers. I fell victim in 2015 with my hard earned #56,000 then.

Won't you be happy when people get jobs if the Peace Corps of Nigeria was made a Federal Government agency?

Why all the bile? Would you rather a single politician steals all the billions of Naira that they have been stealing than the government gets the youths gainfully engaged?

Make una sofri dey pick fight na. Person wey piss for stream, na him Papa or mama or brothers or sisters for down water fit drink am o.

This na my 2 Kobo.

Whala
Everyday na different uniforms I dey see for road some with guns and some with cellotaped gun...
As e be so bandits go soon show their own uniform 😃😃

SMH

AliEzeOlu:


Won't you be happy when people get jobs if the Peace Corps of Nigeria was made a Federal Government agency?

Why all the bile? Would you rather a single politician steals all the billions of Naira that they have been stealing than the government gets the youths gainfully engaged?

Make una sofri dey pick fight na. Person wey piss for stream, na him Papa or mama or brothers or sisters for down water fit drink am o.

This na my 2 Kobo.

Do you know how many people I brought in that paid same amount? Except if you are part of the racketeering going on in peace corps, else you know in your heart that it's not working

Nobody should approve this useless peace Corp, we are looking for money to fund the police and yet you want the govt to start sponsoring this illegality called peace corps that has been used to defraud thousands of people...We say no to any more jackboot paramilitary service that will be used to loot the govt ..

tony0806:


Do you know how many people I brought in that paid same amount? Except if you are part of the racketeering going on in peace corps, else you know in your heart that it's not working

I am for the fact that those that have sacrificed and toiled for it, should reap the fruits of their labour.

I dislike it when people badmouth a thing that should benefit a larger majority. If you are not a patriot, then just bounce, instead of badmouthing the organization.

God willing, Nigerian youths who belong to the Peace Corps of Nigeria will soon be given a sense of belonging via the NIGERIAN Peace Corps Bill.

AliEzeOlu:


Won't you be happy when people get jobs if the Peace Corps of Nigeria was made a Federal Government agency?

Why all the bile? Would you rather a single politician steals all the billions of Naira that they have been stealing than the government gets the youths gainfully engaged?

Make una sofri dey pick fight na. Person wey piss for stream, na him Papa or mama or brothers or sisters for down water fit drink am o.

This na my 2 Kobo.

People should learn to get useful jobs , all these quasi paramilitary jobs add no single value to society, if you want to wear boot go and join security guard company

AliEzeOlu:


I am for the fact that those that have sacrificed and toiled for it, should reap the fruits of their labour.

I dislike it when people badmouth a thing that should benefit a larger majority. If you are not a patriot, then just bounce, instead of badmouthing the organization.

God willing, Nigerian youths who belong to the Peace Corps of Nigeria will soon be given a sense of belonging via the NIGERIAN Peace Corps Bill.

Who sacrificed and toiled what? Which fruit are they eating? You can see y'all not ready for good governance,yall just looking for ways to enter Nigerian govt treasury

SalamRushdie:


Who sacrificed and toiled what? Which fruit are they eating? You can see y'all not ready for good governance,yall just looking for ways to enter Nigerian govt treasury

Oga, Now I know where you are coming from. I mean, I know your kind of person. I don't argue with such people and I don't have a reply for you anymore.

Have a great day and Happy Salah to you.

AliEzeOlu:


Won't you be happy when people get jobs if the Peace Corps of Nigeria was made a Federal Government agency?

Why all the bile? Would you rather a single politician steals all the billions of Naira that they have been stealing than the government gets the youths gainfully engaged?

Make una sofri dey pick fight na. Person wey piss for stream, na him Papa or mama or brothers or sisters for down water fit drink am o.

This na my 2 Kobo.

Peace corps in other countries na Voluntary organisation, dont know why nigeria own want turn to full time fed govt parastatal...
I doubt if buhari will assent to the bill this 2nd time considerinf the fact that he is leaving office for another of his party man...

AliEzeOlu:


Oga, Now I know where you are coming from. I mean, I know your kind of person. I don't argue with such people and I don't have a reply for you anymore.

Have a great day and Happy Salah to you.

You don't know where I am coming from? You people are just interested in stealing from Nigeria , go and turn peace Corp into a security guard company and make money ...You guys sold forms to hundreds of thousands of Nigerians making billions of Naira , where did the money go ? You people went a out acquiring choice property and hotels all over the place and now you want govt to fund you ?

What Buhari sees as Christians Agenda is what you want him to sign. It's not possible. Buhari will veto it by default.

Reintroduce the bill in the 10th Assembly and Tinubu will sign it by September latest.

AliEzeOlu:


I am for the fact that those that have sacrificed and toiled for it, should reap the fruits of their labour.

I dislike it when people badmouth a thing that should benefit a larger majority. If you are not a patriot, then just bounce, instead of badmouthing the organization.

God willing, Nigerian youths who belong to the Peace Corps of Nigeria will soon be given a sense of belonging via the NIGERIAN Peace Corps Bill.

I'm sure wise men won't believe you. We can't fall victim twice