News

Minister of Art Musawa is a serving Corps member – NYSC confirms.

Published

8 months ago

August 25, 2023

Stella Charles Akupue

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) management has confirmed that the Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, is a serving corps member.

The confirmation follows a claim by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a civil society organisation, that Musawa is undertaking the one-year mandatory youth service scheme. At the same time, she is still a member of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.

Director of Press and Public Relations at the NYSC headquarters, Eddy Megwa, confirmed to Our news journalist yesterday that the minister is a corps member. Read More: https://legalattorneyblog.com/2023/08/21/we-will-be-transparent-wont-lie-to-defend-govt-information-minister/

“Yes, she is a serving corp member,” Megwa wrote in a message to TheCable when he was contacted for enquiries.

Minister of Art Musawa is a serving Corps member – NYSC confirms.

On Monday, President Tinubu swore in 45 ministers, including Musawa, as Federal Executive Council (FEC) members.

But in a statement on Wednesday, HURIWA claimed that the culture minister is a member of NYSC, whose place of primary assignment is a law firm in Abuja.

When contacted by TheCable, the minister did not answer calls put through her mobile phone, nor did she reply to messages sent to get her response.

HURIWA had asked the management of the NYSC to compel Musawa to focus on her national youth service or the ministerial appointment.

Culture minister keeps mum as NYSC confirms she's a serving corps member | TheCable

“HURIWA wondered why the correct status of Musawa wasn’t made known to the members of the public before the senate sensationally failed to screen her as it should,” the statement read.

“HURIWA wonders about the kind of scrutiny being conducted by the Department of State Services, so much so that it wasn’t disclosed that the minister is actually a youth corper.

The rights group alleged that Musawa abandoned her NYSC in Ebonyi state years back but later showed interest in completing it.

The organisation added that the minister was mobilised this year and posted to a law firm in Abuja before President Tinubu picked her as a nominee.

“She was confirmed by the Senate without proper screening and sworn in by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as minister of arts, “HURIWA further alleged.

In September 2020, former President Muhammadu Buhari nominated Musawa as a national commissioner representing the Northwest geopolitical zone on the federal pension commission board.

But the Senate in October of the same year rejected her nomination over a report from the committee on establishment and public service matters that Musawa failed to provide her NYSC certificate or exemption letter.

An NYSC certificate or exemption letter is mandatory for those seeking public offices based on election or appointment.

NYSC Confirms Culture Minister is Serving Corps Member - THISDAYLIVE

When the culture minister appeared before the Senate during the ministerial screening, the lawmakers did not ask her any questions regarding her NYSC certificate.

However, according to the NYSC Act, those 30 years and above are exempted from participating in the mandatory one-year scheme.

Others who are excluded are those who have served in the armed forces of the federation or the Nigeria police force for more than nine months or a staff member of the Nigerian security organisation, the state security service, the national intelligence agency, the defence intelligence service or anyone who has been conferred with any national honour.