Ms Hannatu Musawa, a lawyer, who was among the 28 Nigerians nominated by President Bola Tinubu as ministers last Thursday reportedly ignored calls and messages from pressmen today.
Following the confirmation by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) that Musawa, the minister of art, culture and creative economy, is a serving corps member.
This follows a claim by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a civil society organisation, that Musawa is undertaking the one-year mandatory youth service scheme while she is still a member of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
Eddy Megwa, director of press and public relations at the NYSC headquarters, confirmed to newsmen today, that the minister is a corps member.
“Yes she is a serving corp member,” Megwa wrote in a message to TheCable when he was contacted for enquiries.
On Monday, President Tinubu swore in 45 ministers, including Musawa as members of the federal executive council (FEC).
But in a statement on Wednesday, HURIWA claimed that the culture minister is a member of NYSC, whose place of primary assignment is a law firm in Abuja.
When contacted by newsmen the minister did not answer calls put through her mobile phone, nor did she reply to messages sent to get her response.
The rights group 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 reads.
“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.
The minister who hails from Katsina State, could not control her emotions on Tuesday when she broke down in tears while appearing before the Senate for screening.
Ms Musawa, a lawyer, was among the 28 Nigerians nominated by President Bola Tinubu as ministers last Thursday.
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