APDA describes Peace Corps as God-given opportunity, asks Buhari to reconsider the bill

The Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance(APDA) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to reconsider the Peace Corps bill.

Buhari had withheld assent to the bill recently passed by the national assembly.

The president cited duplication of duty and funding challenges as reasons for rejecting the bill.

But APDA said the corps, would among other things, reduce the high level of unemployment in the country.

“We received the news of the decline of assent of the Peace Corps Bill by President Muhammadu Buhari as a surprise,” the party said in a statement signed by Tosin Adeyanju, its national publicity secretary.

“Nothing indicated to us that the President would withhold assent considering how passionate he believes in the creation of institutions to absorb the army of unemployed youths in the country and his recent call that all our schools will now be fully protected.

“APDA solidly holds the view that the establishment of the Peace Corps in the country should not be seen as a burden on our resources but as a God-given opportunity to generate employment for our army of unemployed youths roaming about the streets and equally compliment the work of sister security agencies in area of protecting our schools to avoid the repeat of chibok and Dapchi scenario in the future.

“This is therefore a clarion call on President Muhammadu Buhari to reconsider signing the Peace Corps Bill which he declined assent recently. The signing of the bill apart from helping to boost the security of the nation, would also create openings for Nigeria’s army of unemployed youths to be employed.”

The statement said overtime, Buhari has proved to be a listening president and the action of the national assembly is the “aggregate of Nigerians because they represent diverse interest across the country”

“Our listening president this is another opportunity to prove that to Nigerians by not dumping this bill,” ADPA said.

“The existing para-military agencies in the country are doing very well and complementing the other security agencies but are clearly not enough for our population of over 180 million people. Therefore it is in the larger interest of the nation for the Peace Corps to be established to bridge the gap.

“We appreciate the overwhelming support given the passage of the Bill by the National Assembly which is a sign of acceptability of the establishment of the agency by Nigerians.

“We therefore use this medium to urge Mr President to take a second look at the growth and development potentials in the Bill by signing it into law without delay. We are confident that majority of Nigerians are eagerly awaiting that noble task from the president who is largely seen as a friend of the masses.”