By Joshua Egbodo
Abuja
National Commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, Dr. Dickson Akoh, has described the rivalry against the existence of the body as uncalled, as according to him, its operations are not in conflict with existing security agencies, but rather complementing their efforts.
Addressing journalists after a Bill seeking to legally establish the Corps as government body went through public hearing at the House of Representatives yesterday, Akoh said in the 17 years of the Corps’ existence, no security agency had confronted it with issues of acting in conflict with its operations, taking over its duties.
“We see them as our senior partners in progress, and the existence of the Corps would also lessen their burden because we are involved in preoccupying the youths,” he said, explaining that the body was legally registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, and recognised by the federal government through the Ministry of Youth Development.”
Responding to questions on how the organisation, which he said was a voluntary one, he said: “Article 20 of our enabling constitution clearly specify our sources of funding; they are subvention form government, membership drive, annual dues, gifts and bequeath, and we also organise seasonal camping and orientation, interested members come in and make some amount of payment.
“We also organise annual fund raising, all these means generating listed are clearly stated in our constitution approved by cooperate Affairs Commission. We have our annual award programmes that some of our awardees can pay them also use that as a platform to assist us financially since we came into existence we have not deviated from these ways of generating funds.”
