The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called on Nigerian youths to support the passage of the Nigeria Peace Corps bill, stressing that the bill will greatly impact the Nigerian youth.
The Bill which was passed by the 8th Assembly but rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari was reintroduced by the 9th House of Assembly and is already set for committal to the committee of the whole for passage.
Secretary General of the NYCN, Blessing Akinlosotu called on youths to support the bill when he briefed newsmen during decoration of Obioma King Onwuneme as the Commander of Peace in Alausa Lagos.
Akinlosotu said that the Nigeria Peace Corps was one of the good initiatives of Dr. Dickson Akor, National Commandant of the Corps, adding that the corps will improve the security of the nation.
He said that the security situation being witnessed in Nigeria required diverse measures to be curbed.
“The passage of the bill and its subsequent assent by President Muhammadu Buhari under his ‘Next Level’ administration will in no small way help the government in fighting insecurity,” he said.
He said that with more youths engages as agents of peace in Nigeria, it would have a positive double-barrel effect – getting youths employed rather than being prone to crime and at the same time getting those used to assist in fighting crime.
The Bill seeks to give legal backing to the already existing Peace Corps of Nigeria, which was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission as a Non-Governmental Organization, with a consultative status with the United Nations and the African Union.
When established, the scheme would empower at least 3 million Nigerian youths, who are currently serving as volunteers.
The Nigerian Peace Corps, upon establishment, shall be domiciled with the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, under the supervision Honourable Minister.
The core mandates of the Corps is to develop, empower and provide gainful employment to the youths, in order to facilitate Peace, Volunteerism, Community Services, Neighbourhood Watch, nation-building and other related matters.