GIVE US A CHANCE TO SHOWCASE OUR CAPACITY- CG PEACE CORPS

Oru Leonard

The Commandant General (CG), National Unity and Peace Corps (NUPEC), Chinedu Nneji (Phd), has pleaded with Nigerians to give the establishment a chance by supporting the passing of the bill to adopt it by the Federal Government of Nigeria, which is before the National Assembly.

He made the plea in an address presented today in commemoration of the United Nations Intertional Day of Peace celebration today in Abuja.

Dr. Nneji stated, ” We strongly believe that recognising and addressing the various existing interest groups m Nigeria can only be done through mediation, conciliation, arbitration and mitigation and this is exacly what National Unity and Peace Corps is all about”.

He noted that the challenges in Nigeria as in other parts of the global village has challenges bordering on security, farmers/herders clashes, banditry, Boko Haram, inter- communal clashes, desertification, ozone layer depletion, floods, erosion menace, secessionist agitations, youth agitations, kidnapping, insurgency, drug abuse, as a result human resources and non human resources has been lost. Also citizens has been displaced internally.

“Every probicm has an expiring date and a solution” he exclaimed, adding that the solution to Nigeria’s problems lies in dialogue.

“It is obvious that the insecurty m the country is affecting oor country’s economy negatively. National Unity and Peace Corps (NUPEC), bas already developed a“Bine Primt” on how to resolve all these teethmg challenges bedeviling our beloved country. This blue print will be qunckly deployed at work upon legislation by the ‘National Assembly and commssioning of the Corps by the Federal Government. We have mamy traned and cerfied conflict resolution experts who are ready and wating to be deployed to work for the Federal Goverment after commissioning.

“For now, we herby solicit for the cooperatom of the Federal ‘Government, her Agencies and Departments to support us as we now call for a convention of a ‘National Peace Summit’ where all interest groups in Nagesta will have the opportunity of presenting their interests”, Nneji concluded.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the Occasion and representative of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Peter Ogunmunyi commened the National Unity and Peace Corps for their role in entrenching peace in Nigeria and prayed that the bill at the National Assembly will eventually be assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari, so as to have a formidable Peace Corps in Nigeria.

He prayed, “I know your contribution to having peace in this country cannot be overemphasized. This body, if given legal backing, will cooperate with other security agencies to bring enduring peace. I pray that the peace that we all desire for will be enshrined in Nigeria and in the world”.

A retired Director from the Federal Ministry of Interior, Alhaji Alhassan Fawu, who also spoke at the event said that national unity and peace is key in Nigeria, noting that the Peace Corps has been trying hard to ensure there is unity and peace in the country. He thanked the CG for being hard working and urged leaders to make sure there is peace and tranquility, so as to have unity and progress in Nigeria.