…May be removed like Kemi Adeosun
Hannatu Musa Musawa, the just sworn-in Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, allegedly risks a two-year jail term, even as she is enmeshed in a messy double service scandal, ENigeria Newspaper reports.
ENigeria Newspaper understands that Hannatu Musa Musawa is still a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the 2023 batch, and was posted somewhere in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja.
Despite the baggage she carries giving the development, Hannatu Musa Musawa was nominated for a Ministerial position and the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate still allowed her to take a bow and go in what has been described as a calculated strategy to undermine democracy; a move that has brought the senate under heavy criticisms.
Describing the action of the Senate as despicable, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) in a petition, opined that it has become routine with the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate in which the then ministerial nominee, Ms. Musawa was asked to “take a bow and go” with no questionings regarding her academic qualifications, including the controversy surrounding her NYSC Certificate which a credible source in NYSC confirmed that the Minister is still a Youth Corps member with posting No. FC/23A/505.”
HURIWA added that the Minister was posted to Onyilokwu Onyilowa and Company located at the old Banex plaza.
Meanwhile, authorities of NYSC at its Abuja national headquarters confirmed to Daily Times last night that “it is illegal” for Musawa, or anyone else, to engage in double service as Minister and youth corps member simultaneously.
Musawa, who is a young woman, is said to be serving somewhere in Wuse 2, Abuja.
The Daily Times recalls that Section 13 of the NYSC 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).”
In 2020, the Senate, then headed by Ahmed Lawan, rejected the official bid by the government of then-President Muhammadu Buhari to have it confirm Musawa for the top seat of Commissioner to represent North-West in National Pension Commission (PENCOM) because she failed to present her NYSC certificate.
The latest allegation was made by prominent pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) yesterday.
In a statement titled: ‘You can’t be a serving NYSC Corper and Minister at the Same Time’ and signed by National President, HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group said Musawa was posted to Onyilokwu Onyilowa and Co., said to be located at the old Banex Plaza.
It alleged that her NYSC posting details are FC/23A/505.
The development brings to mind the celebrated case of Kemi Adeosun, first Finance Minister under the immediate past government of Buhari, who resigned on September 15, 2018, from the position over allegations of using a forged certificate to avoid participation in the compulsory one-year NYSC.
