Civil rights advocacy group on the aegis of Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has decried the suitability and legality of appointing Hannatu Musawa, a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member as a Minister of the federal Republic.
HURIWA particularly questioned the appropriateness of the Nigerian Senate in allowing Hannatu Musawa as a ministerial nominee, to ‘bow and go’ in spite the controversy surrounding her NYSC certificate.
The Rights group alleged that Hannatu Musawa abandoned her NYSC in Ebonyi State some years but later showed interest to complete it during which she was mobilised in 2023 and posted to a Law firm in Abuja where she is as a serving Corps member before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nominated her.
HURIWA therefore expressed concern over the kind of scrutiny being conducted by the Department of State Services (DSS), so much so that it wasn’t disclosed that Hannatu Musawa is a serving Youth Corps member.
It said; “Section 13 of the National Youths Service Corps Act stipulates that any Nigerian graduate below 30 who refuses to make himself/herself available for the compulsory one-year service has committed an offence “and liable on conviction to a fine of N4,OOO or to imprisonment for a term of two years or to both such fine and imprisonment.”
A statement by the National Coordinator of the HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, noted that the inaugurated Minister of Arts is actually a serving NYSC member somewhere in Wuse II, Abuja in the year 2023.
HURIWA described the development as despicable particularly with what turned out to be a routine with the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate, in which Musawa was asked to “take a bow and go” without being asked any questions about her academic qualifications, including the controversy surrounding her NYSC certificate.
HURIWA said that credible sources within the NYSC confirmed that Musawa, who is now a minister is actually a Youth Corps member.
HURIWA further said; “The details of the NYSC posting of Hannatu Musawa are as follows: FC/23A/505 and Posted to Onyilokwu Onyilowa and company, Suit number undisclosed purposely (paint house) old Banex Plaza”.
HURIWA noted that in 2020, the Ahmed Lawan-led 9th Senate rejected Musawa’s nomination by former President Muhammadu Buhari as the Commissioner representing the North West at the National Pension Commission (PENCOM). HURIWA further said; “Her failure to submit her National Youth Service (NYSC) certificate was cited as reason for her rejection.
“While it is compulsory for every Nigerian graduate to take part in the National Youths Service Corps for one year, graduates who are above 30 years are exempted from the national service.
“A former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, was forced to resign from President Buhari’s government after an online newspaper reported that she forged the NYSC exemption certificate used in securing her appointment as minister,” it said.
HURIWA also condemned Musawa for her alleged display of illegality by spreading crispy N1,000 notes to some local Hausa musicians at an event in which she was reportedly being celebrated over her appointment as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Rights group urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to order Musawa’s investigation, possible arrest and prosecution for breaching the extant law which prohibits such abuses of the national currency.
HURIWA also tasked the National Youth Service Corps to compel Hannatu Musawa to choose between completing her service as a Corps member under the NYSC service scheme to earn her NYSC Certificate or disengage from being a Youth Corps member and then focus on her new task as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
