Senate passes Peace Corp establishment bill

The Nigerian Senate has passed for a second reading a bill seeking to give legal backing to the establishment of the Nigerian Peace Corps.

The Senate on Tuesday also passed another bill seeking to establish the Nigerian Hunters Council of Nigeria (NHCN) for a second reading on the floor during plenary.

While leading the debate on the Peace Corps bill which he sponsored, Senator Ali Ndume argued that the core mandate being sought by the Nigerian Peace Corps bill is to develop, empower, and provide gainful employment for the youth.

Ndume further argued that the proposed legislation when passed into law, would give statutory backing to the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria.

He said; “The core mandate being sought by the Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) Bill is to Develop, Empower, and Provide Gainful Employment for the youth to facilitate Peace, Volunteerism, Community Services, Neighbourhood Watch, Nation-Building.

Senator Biodun Olujimi, while leading the debate on the Nigerian Hunters Council of Nigeria (NHCN) bill sponsored by him said it seeks to enact a law that will legalize the activities of various Hunter groups in Nigeria to prevent crime from within the community.

“This bill seeks to control and prevent crime from within the community as doing that from outside the community entails recruiting strangers who might not be familiar with crime terrains as well as criminals in the community.

“The bill seeks to enact a law that will legalize the activities of various Hunter groups in Nigeria to provide against the notion that these groups lack the constitutional powers to act and therefore are arrogating such powers to themselves,” Olujimi said.