Hannatu Musawa, the Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, has denied issuing any statement with regard to the controversy around her National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, status.
The minister had reportedly issued a statement on Sunday, saying she had not breached any law by holding a ministerial appointment and observing the mandatory national youth service at the same time.
However, Suleiman Haruna, the Deputy Director, Press at the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, in a statement said the purported statement by Musawa was false, adding that the minister had dissociated herself from it.
Haruna wrote: “The attention of Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, The Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, has been drawn to a recently circulating piece…The piece is inaccurately associated with her in relation to the current NYSC discussion.
“The Hon. Minister clarifies that she has not released any official statement regarding the aforementioned matter and kindly asks the public to be cautious of unverified information.
“For clarity, I wish to state that I have not issued any statement on the current issue.”
Musawa was one of the 45 ministerial nominees that were screened by the Senate for ministerial appointment.
She has since been assigned to the Ministry of Art, Culture and Creative Economy.
However, she was discovered to be a serving youth corps member under the mandatory National Youth Service Scheme, NYSC.
The revelation has stirred controversy as to whether she could be a minister while still undergoing her national youth service.
