The administration of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
has officially verified
that Hannatu Musawa, the incumbent Minister of Art,
Culture, and Creative Economy, is currently fulfilling her duties as a corps
member.
This affirmation comes in response to an assertion made by
the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a civil society
group, which contended that Musawa is engaging in the obligatory one-year
national youth service program while concurrently holding a position in President
Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
Eddy Megwa, the Director of Press and Public Relations at
NYSC headquarters, corroborated this information in a statement to TheCable on
Thursday, confirming that the minister is indeed a serving corps member.
When contacted for clarification, Megwa conveyed in a message
to TheCable, “Yes, she is an active corps member.”
Earlier in the week, President Tinubu inaugurated 45
ministers, among them Musawa, as members of the federal executive council
(FEC).
Nonetheless, HURIWA asserted on Wednesday that the culture
minister is an NYSC member and that her primary assignment is within a law firm
in Abuja.
Despite attempts to reach out to the minister via phone calls
and messages, there was no response received.
HURIWA called on NYSC management to compel Musawa to
concentrate on her national youth service responsibilities or her ministerial
role.
In its statement, HURIWA questioned why Musawa’s true status
wasn’t disclosed to the public before her Senate screening, expressing surprise
that the Department of State Services didn’t reveal her status as a youth corps
member.
The human rights organization claimed that Musawa had
abandoned her previous NYSC service in Ebonyi state some years ago, but later
expressed intent to complete it. HURIWA indicated that she was mobilized for
service this year and was assigned to a law firm in Abuja before her nomination
by President Tinubu.
“HURIWA further alleged that she was confirmed by the
Senate without thorough scrutiny and was subsequently sworn in as the Minister
of Arts by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
CONTEXT
In September 2020, former President Muhammadu Buhari
nominated Musawa as a national commissioner representing the north-west
geopolitical zone on the national pension commission board.
However, in October of the same year, the Senate rejected her
nomination based on a report from the committee on establishment and public
service matters. The report stated that Musawa had failed to provide her NYSC
certificate or an exemption letter.
An NYSC certificate or exemption letter is obligatory for
individuals seeking public office through election or appointment.
During the ministerial screening before the Senate, there
were no inquiries regarding Musawa’s NYSC certificate.
WHAT THE NYSC ACT STATES
As per the NYSC Act, individuals who are 30 years of age or
older are exempted from participating in the one-year mandatory scheme.
Additionally, those who have served in the armed forces, Nigeria police force
for more than nine months, or personnel of security organizations like the
state security service, the national intelligence agency, or the defence
intelligence service, as well as recipients of national honors, are also
excluded.
