‘Peace Corps, best thing democracy has produced in Nigeria’

The Kwara state command of the Nigerian Peace Corps has called on the

present federal government to assent to the Bill creating the Corps as

passed by the National Assembly in fulfillment of its electoral

promises on job creation.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Friday, during a peaceful

procession by members of the corps in celebration of adoption of bill

creating the corps by the National Assembly in Abuja on Tuesday, the

state commandant of the corps, Lukman Adelowo Yekini, said that

creation of the corps would be one of the best things democracy had

produced in the country for Nigerian youth.

Yekini, who said that members of the corps had waited for about 19

years to get recognition of the federal government, added that

Nigerian youth were happy to see their dream and vision of national

creativity, peace, and development being fulfilled.

While commending the eighth National Assembly for doing justice to the

plight of Nigerian youth by creating jobs for them through adoption of

the bill, the commandant said that there would be employment for the

unemployed youth when it became operational.

“We are going to inculcate discipline in schools and youth. We are

aware that some of the challenges in our schools now include

examination malpractices among other juvenile misconducts, cultism,

and drug abuse. We’ll make our impact felt in curbing these

misconduct. We’ll make some other aspects of our programmes known to

members of the public when we’re operational.

“There’s victory at last. The adoption of the bill by the national

assembly. That’s what we are celebrating. For 19 years we’ve been

trying to get attention of the federal government. After all odds,

we’re grateful that the eighth national assembly did justice to our

plight.

“It’s a nationwide celebration. Nigerian youth are happy and that the

present government is ready to listen and put succour to one of the

greatest national problem which is the issue of youth unemployment.

“So, we urge the federal government to put assent to the Bill. We are

sure the FG will assent to the Bill. Moreso, job creation is part of

their manifesto. And they are ready to do that. This is the avenue to

fulfill their electoral promises.

“Objectives of the Peace Corps of Nigeria is to create meaningful jobs

and not sort of empowerment by some politicians to unemployed youth in

the country.

He also said that collaboration with other sister security services is

cordial, describing them as senior colleagues that would put them

through. “We can’t work in isolation. We’ll meet with them for support

to work in harmony to be able to achieve our aims and objectives

peacefully”, he said.