NYSC Confirms Minister of Art Musawa is a Serving Corps Member

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) administration has officially verified that Hannatu Musawa, the Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, is presently an active participant in the NYSC program.

This validation comes in response to an assertion made by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a non-governmental organization, asserting that Musawa is engaging in the mandatory year-long youth service initiative while concurrently holding a position within President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Eddy Megwa, the Director of Press and Public Relations at NYSC headquarters, confirmed this information to TheCable news outlet recently, affirming that Minister Musawa is indeed a serving corps member.

When approached for clarification, Megwa stated in correspondence with TheCable, “Yes, she is a serving corps member.”

On a recent Monday, President Tinubu inaugurated a group of 45 ministers into the federal executive council (FEC), which included Hannatu Musawa.

However, on Wednesday, HURIWA released a statement asserting that the Minister of Culture is an active member of the NYSC, with her primary assignment placement being a law firm situated 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.

“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 years back, Musawa abandoned her NYSC in Ebonyi state but later showed interest in completing it.

The organisation added that the minister was mobilised this year and got 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 north-west geopolitical zone on the national 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 a mandatory requirement for those seeking public offices on the basis of election or appointment.

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 who are 30 years and above are exempted from taking part 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 a period of 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.