Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
The unanimous decision was taken by the Federal Executive Council, FEC to establish a new anti-Corruption Agency with specific responsibilities to manage confiscated assets, may have come as a surprise to many onlookers and the general public, this is especially because of the claimed by federal government last year to merge some agencies, through the implementation of the Orinsayan Report.
It is true and a good thing too for government to device certain ways by which cost of governance can be a drastically reduced. The shortfall in national income and other ugly indices gazing at us may give further credence to this intention earlier nurtured by the federal government.
But considering the primary responsibility of every existing government globally, it is empirically logical to say that, every scarce resource at the disposal of government ought to be judiciously managed to the extent that People’s lives and properties are well protected. This is largely the sole responsibility of the state to her citizenry, and any government that failed in this direction is adjudged to have failed.
The present government has a policy direction to fight Corruption, and seeing that the fight against corruption is not well sustained and won using the existing anti-corruption agencies, decided to take the bold step to create a new agency to add colour to the war. This is regardless of government dwindled resources, as the gain the new agency is positioned to bring outweighed it’s cost, as stated by the federal government.
Seeing that a new agency could come into force in the midst of global meltdown orchestrated by Covid-19 pandemic, it is imminent that a much more crucial agency initially denied presidential assent due to certain falsehood mounted against her by some forces is about to be given full presidential backing. Nigerian Peace Corps, NPC from all available records when signed into law will tremendously reduce the overwhelming security situation in this country. Their track records in intelligence gathering, neighbourhood watch, maintenance of law and order in schools and colleges and complementary role to other security agencies over the years is a pointer to this fact.
The gain of having another central outfit, NPC at this trying time of escalated security challenges cum massive youth restiveness, certainly outweighed the cost that comes with it. This is why Sen. Ali Ndume conveyed President Buhari’s assurances of giving speedy assent this time to the Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment bill currently before the 9th National Assembly, upon passage by both chambers.
What is majorly needed by the Peace Corps of Nigeria is the conducive environment to operate and contribute her quarters to the growth and advancement of this country. Funding of her activities is majorly going to depend on generated resources from her activities and collaboration with International governmental and other institutional organizations nationally and globally, this is however not to rule out government likely funding and support from time to time.
The bitten economic situation brought by the Covid-19 pandemic has further aggravated the plight of poor Nigerians especially the youth. Apart from the immediate gain of adding more values to the security architecture of this country, the organization when signed into law has the potential to gainfully engage many Nigerians, and by extension, lift many families from poverty.
Although many analysts are of the opinion that President Buhari might want to use Nigerian Peace Corps to counter the proliferation of state and regional security outfits springing up across the nation, the Corps on its own has got resounding potentials and values to be considered by the government based on merit anchored on her natural track records over the years.
The APC central government headed by President Mohammad Buhari from all indications is now poised to use the opportunity provided by Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill to write her name in the sound of time, with an indelible legacy of creating a new agency dominated by Nigerian youth.
