Senate divided over Bill seeking to establish National Peace Corps

ABUJA —AHEAD of the establishment of the proposed Nigeria Peace

Corps, the Senate has given President Muhammadu Buhari the power to
hire and fire the National Commandant General of the corps.
Senators are, however, divided over an aspect of its general principles
which proposes that only the President can nominate the national
commandant of the corps and forward same to the Senate for
confirmation.
The Senate has also recommended seven years imprisonment or a fine of
N100,000 for erring staff of the corps when it finally becomes a new
legally-backed organisation by the Federal Government.
The recommendations of the Senate were sequel to a report by the
Committee on Interior on a bill for the creation of National Peace Corps.
Presenting the report in Abuja,weekend, acting chairman of Senate
Committee on Interior, Senator Bayero Nafada, said the national
commandant of the corps would be answerable to the President and not
the Senate as canvassed by the lawmakers.
Prior to the presentation of the report, lawmakers, who opposed the
proposal of the committee have, however, insisted that the national
commandant of the corps should be answerable to the President and not
the Senate as proposed by lawmakers.
Senators had argued during the earlier debate on the general principles of
the proposed law, that the President could only nominate national
commandant of the corps and forward same to the Senate for
confirmation .
In his presentation of the report, Senator Nafada said the Bill for an Act to
establish the Nigerian Peace Corps would empower, develop and provide
employment for the youths, as well as help facilitate peace and
community services as that would give legal backing to the already
existing corps nation wide.
According to him, when established, besides ensuring peace in the country,
it would provide alternative employment for the youths, community
development services and nation building.
The House of Representatives had earlier passed the bill .
The two legislative houses are, however, expected to raise a conference
committee to harmonize their differences, if any before it can be forwarded
to President Buhari for assent.