Intrigue, Controversy; How The Contentious Peace Corps Bill Became Law

 The Peace Corps bill which has been the subject of intense controversy over the years, was Tuesday finally passed by lawmakers after a heated debate.

The eventual passing of the National Peace Corps (NPC) bill was in spite of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters’ opposition to the establishment of the corps.

While the judiciary committee had opposed the bill, the Senate and the House of Representatives’ Conference Committee supported its passage.

After considering the argument of both committees, the lawmakers finally adopted the report of its Conference Committee presented by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, Bayero Nafada.

The bill was earlier passed at the different chambers of the National Assembly in June 2016 by the House of Representatives and in November of the same year by the Senate.

However, following controversies arising from the passage of the bill, the two chambers set up a conference committee with the mandate to reconcile the contentious issues in the bill.

After the debate on the bill at the Senate on May 2, 2017 was marred by sharp disagreements, the conference committee report on the bill was referred to the legal committee.

In its report presented by David Umaru at the plenary of the Senate, the legal committee criticised the bill and advised against its passage.

Part of the report read, “The powers, functions, e.t.c., of the Peace Corps call for concern and this committee would wish that they are subjected to further examination.

“The creation of jobs through this platform is laudable but this can be achieved by strengthening existing agencies and not necessarily creating a new one so as not to overburden the Federal Government; and that the Committee noted that the House of Representatives has adopted the Conference Report and the need for reciprocity.

“After the presentation of the report (by Nafada-led committee), sundry issues were raised, which elicited debate for and against the consideration of the Conference Report.

“After extensive deliberations, the Senate in its wisdom deferred consideration of the Conference Report and mandated the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to look into the issues raised and report back.

“It is on record that the Senate is not considering the bill afresh but is addressing the uncertainties surrounding the Peace Corps that were raised at the plenary when the Conference Report was presented.

“The issues raised by distinguished senators at the plenary are fundamental and they go to the roots of the corps’ operations, which are subject of litigation.

“The operations of an organisation like the Peace Corps in other jurisdictions, particularly in the United States, the American Peace Corps which is used as a model does not operate as a permanent and pensionable employment as intended in Nigeria under this proposed legislation.

“Rather, its employment is for a limited period of five years only for regular employees and 24 months for volunteers.

“The operation of the Peace Corps is limited to social and economic development only in other jurisdictions as indicated in their mandate, pursuant to Section 591 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990, in the case of Nigerian Peace Corps.”

After the lawmakers opted for the conference report, Senate President Bukola Saraki, said in his remarks, “The long journey has finally reached the Promised Land.”