Hannatu Musawa, the new minister of arts, culture, and the creative economy, has acknowledged that she is a corps member in response to calls for her removal due to her participation in the programme.
In a statement titled “My personal statement on my status as a serving minister” made available to the media on Sunday, Musawa insisted that she had not violated any provisions of the National Youths Service Corps laws, pointing out that her appointment by President Bola Tinubu had come after a barrage of media attacks and false information about her.
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She said, “It is true I am currently a corps member which I began eight months ago as a matter of duty and devotion to my country, having been unable to complete the scheme since I was first mobilised in 2001.
“There is no breach of any law or constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended regarding my current position as a minister and status as serving corps member.”
While alluding to the constitution and the NYSC Act, the minister said, “No part of any of them states that a serving corps member can not be appointed by the President of Nigeria or any other appointing authority into political positions.
“Equally, no part of our existing laws and NYSC Act says that a corps member must finish service before they can be appointed into political office. There are no legal or constitutional limitations whatsoever. I have not broken any law of Nigeria.”
She also mentioned the ruling of Justice Taiwo in a case before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja in 2021 that stipulated that one is not required to present a first-degree certificate or any other certificate, including the NYSC certificate to be appointed a minister in the country.
Speaking about the delay in her NYSC programme, Musawa said, “I started the mandatory national service as a corps member deployed to Akwa-Ibom State in 2001 upon the completion of my university education. I could not complete the service the same year after my redeployment to Kaduna State due to family obligations.
“Despite this, it has been my personal resolve and commitment that I will always fulfil this national duty whenever I am opportune to do so.
“I applied to NYSC to be mobilised again for national service last year. NYSC graciously mobilised and deployed me to serve in Abuja where I have been serving for the last eight months before my current appointment as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” she added.
