Ahead of the 2023 General Elections, the National Commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, PCN, Prof Dickson Akoh has urged youths to shun acts that will distabilise the society.
Prof Akoh said this during an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday at the official launch of the 2022 Annual Fund Fair and Unveiling of the 24th Anniversary Logo, ahead of the Anniversary/founder’s celebration in July.
According to him, the organisation’s activities to mark this year’s Anniversary are entrenched in the theme: “2023 General Elections: The Roles of Youth in Security and Peace Building”.
He said, “All the activities that we are going to observe this year, including a visit to the correctional centre, medical outreach, media interaction is summed up under this theme, being mindful of the fact that the only time-bomb awaiting Nigeria is the 2023 general elections.
“This is with the prevailing security situation. We have carefully picked a theme for the anniversary lecture and we believe that through the lecture, we will communicate directly to the conscience of Nigerian youth that: they should not allow themselves to be used by egocentric politicians to destabilise the society.
“The success of the forthcoming general election is going to speak volumes about the sustenance of our democracy and the continuity of Nigeria as a nation.
“So what we are essentially doing is to mobilise our Youths nationwide to embark on peacebuilding and to resist any attempt or temptation to be used to perpetrate any violence during the election.”
Reacting to a question on the pending Peace Corps Bill, he expressed optimism that the Senate will do the needful.
“The national assembly has been on a break.
“We are very hopeful, we are not in a hurry. Whatever that is going to endure will pass through pain and perseverance. So we are hopeful that the House of Reps will do justice to the bill in line with what the Senate has done,” he said.
He, earlier in his remark, explained that the fund fair was necessary to enable the organisation to continue its humanitarian and charitable activities as well ad its acts of volunteerism and Youth Empowerment.
On his part, Sen. George Akume, Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs congratulated the National Commandant, Prof Dickson Akoh and the entre officers and men of the Corps on its 24 years of service.
He said, although the Corps is a pet project of the National Commandant but because of its activities across the states of the federation and the voluntary services rendered over the years, the project has become that of the public hence its support from the National Assembly as well as majority of the nation’s populace.
Sen. Akume while saluting the courage of officers and men of the Corps over the years charged them to continue in one spirit so as to take the Corps to its most enviably height which is the passage and assent of the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill, adding that once that is done, the names of all officers and men struggling now to attain this height would be written in gold.
He therefore encouraged them not to relent in the onerous task of building the nation, empowering the youth, and rendering voluntary services to better the country.
Also speaking, the National President, National Council of Women Societies, Hajia Lami Lau stated that Nigerians must synergise if peace must be achieved.
She therefore called on ASUU to call off the lingering strike as the continuous stay of students at home is causing more harm with politicians engaging them negatively. “We have to come together if we want Nigeria to come back to the former Nigeria where we had peace. As tomorrow’s leaders, we have to join our hands.
“Also, the ASUU strike that is ongoing is not helping matters. We want our children in school. They are adding more problems to us.
“These politicians are going to use them because poverty is everywhere. Insecurity is everywhere so they are using these children so that they will give them money which they use to buy drugs,” she stated.
