I’ll complete service year in four months, says Minister Musawa
……says no law prevents serving corps member from appointment positions
Minister of Art, Culture & Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, says her assumption as minister of the Federal Republic would not impede her service year which would be rounded off in four months.
Musawa said she has so far served for about eight months, adding that her appointment as Minister is a higher call to service.
The Minister made this disclosure in a press statement she personally signed which was titled ‘My personal statement on my NYSC status as a serving Minister’.
Recall that Musawa has faced criticism following her appointment as a serving corps member, a position she debunked saying no law in the country forbids a corps member from appointment.
The statement partly read, “The last couple of days have witnessed barrage of media attacks and misinformation about me following my appointment and swearing-in as the Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“I want to, again, thank President Tinubu for finding me worthy and for giving me the opportunity to serve the country I love as one of his Ministers.
“It is true I am currently on the NYSC national service which I began 8 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. I started the mandatory national service as a Corps member deployed to Akwa-Ibom State (pls confirm state) in 2001 upon the completion of my university education. I could not complete the service 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 fulfill this national duty whenever I am opportuned 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 in the last eight months before my current appointment as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Musawa expressed optimism that she would complete her service, which is presently in Abuja, adding “I will like to state clearly that contrary to wrong insinuations and false assumptions in a section of the mainstream media and social media where false accusations have been made, 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.
“It must be said that there is no law of Nigeria or any part of the our constitution and NYSC Act that 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 he/she can be appointed into political office. There is no legal and constitutional limitations whatsoever. I have not broken any law of Nigeria.
“In fact, in a decided case before a Federal High Court Abuja in 2021, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, ruled that the Constitution of Nigeria, which is the grundnorm, does not require anyone to even present a first-degree certificate or any other certificate, including the NYSC certificate to be appointed a Minister in Nigeria.”
The Minister noted that out of her volition and love for country she opted to serve the country, “I decided to participate in the current NYSC programme in fulfillment of my own personal commitment and out of sense of duty which I am proud of.
“I will continue to serve my country using every opportunity and platform. My current NYSC status which will end in another 4 months will not in anyway impede the discharge of my duties as Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, which, on its own, is a higher call to national service.
“I use this medium to publicly restate my loyalty and rededicate myself to the service of Nigeria. I will continue to serve faithfully and with all my energy to deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu for a better, greater and more prosperous Nigeria,” she added.
