Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, should pay fine or serve a 12-month prison term for not completing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, Daniel Bwala, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said on Tuesday.
Controversy has continued to trail Musawa’s appointment as minister after a civil society organisation, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), alleged that she is undergoing the mandatory one-year national youth service while still a member of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
The management of the NYSC later admitted that the minister is currently a serving youth corps member.
There are reports that Musawa was mobilised for the national service in September 2002 and posted to the Ministry of Justice, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
She, reportedly, redeployed to Kaduna State in February 2003 but failed to complete the service.
The minister eventually, in 2023, reenlisted for the national youth service in order to obtain an NYSC discharge certificate, which is a requirement for public service appointment.
The development has led to calls for Musawa’s sack from the cabinet, with many Nigerians arguing that it was not proper for a youth corps member to be appointed minister.
However, others have backed Musawa’s ministerial appointment, noting that there is no law that forbids an NYSC member from serving as a minister.
Speaking on the matter on Arise Television on Tuesday, Bwala, a former PDP presidential campaign spokesman, noted that Musawa committed an offense is she failed to complete the national youth service programme.
Bwala pointed out that Section 13 of the NYSC Act stipulates that anybody who failed to complete the service year is liable to pay fine, or serve a 12-month prison sentence, or suffer both penalties.
Section 13 of the NYSC Act stated: “Any person who fails to report for service in the service corps in the manner directed by the Directorate, or who refuses to make himself available for service in the service corps, is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of N2,OOO, or to imprisonment for a term of 12 months, or to both such fine and imprisonment.”
Stressing that the real issue is not Musawa’s status as a minister, Bwala said, “Section 13 of the NYSC Act provides for punishment. Now, my worry is that apart from saying whether or not she is eligible to continue to serve as a minister while still a youth corps member, there is even an aspect of this Act that we have not seen.
“When you are called up (for service) you will be given a call up letter and that letter will state in emphatic and clear terms the number of months or the period you are expected to serve
“Section 13 says anybody who failed to do that when you have been mobilised, it says anybody who absconded is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to pay a fine of, in those days, N2000, or to serve a prison term for a period of 12 months, or even both.”
He added that Section 2 of the NYSC Act made it mandatory for every Nigerian who has obtained a Bachelors Degree, Higher National Diploma (HND) or National Certificate of Education (NCE) to participate in the youth service programme.
Bwala described as ‘absurd’ claims that somebody undergoing national youth service can be appointed minister.
He added, “That’s why it (NYSC Act) goes further to provide grounds for exemption. For example if you are sick you can be exempted or if you have been given a national honour, you don’t have to serve.
Or within this period you have served in intelligence agencies like SSS, NIA, Defence Intelligence College.
“The NYSC Act is not a joke. We are not playing. The spirit and letter of the NYSC is meant to be the criteria for ascertaining, not just patriotism and national service but the character and fitness of anybody that will be employed or be appointed.
“When you try to say that, as a youth corps member, you can be appointed because there is a difference between appointment and employment – that is absurdity.
“Any services for which you will be rewarded by way of salary or emolument under a structured organisation, whether in the private sector or public sector, it is mandatory that you provide evidence of national youth service.”
