There are strong indications that one of the executive commissioners nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari into the Board of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) did not undergo the mandatory one-year service of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Recently, Buhari nominated to the Senate for confirmation Aisha Dahir-Umar as the Director General and Dr Oyindasola Oluremi Oni as the chairman of the Board while Hannatu Musa, Clement Akintola, Ayim Nyerere and Charles Emukowhale were nominated as executive commissioners for PenCom.
According to a group known as the League of Concern Indigenes of the States in the Northwest Zone of Nigeria, one of the nominated executive commissioners did not present NYSC discharge certificate or exemption letter to the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service Matters, which is screening the nominees.
The group petitioned the Committee that Hannatu Musa, one of the nominees, did not have NYSC certificate.
The petition, signed by Comrade Musa Argungu, and addressed to Committee’s Chairman, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, indicated that Hannatu Musa did not attend NYSC after her degree in the UK.
“That is why she never works for the Government since she came back from her studies. The Committee should critically analyze her CV and even if she submit any NYSC certificate it is fake. This is against the NYSC Act,” the petition read.
This development may not be unconnected to the reason the committee is yet to submit its report two weeks after the names of the nominees were transmitted to it for screening.
The national service is mandatory for all Nigerians who graduate from Universities or equivalent institutions within or outside Nigeria and are below the age of 30.
The NYSC Act forbids any Nigerian who skips the Service from both private and Government sector jobs in Nigeria, including being confirmed as an executive commissioner into the Board of PenCom.
The stakeholders urged the Senate not to confirm any of the nominees found to have skipped the compulsory national service to avoid the scandalous scenario which led to the ouster of the former Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, for the same offence.
“We believe that this mistake can be checkmated by your Senate Committee. As the representatives of the people, we hope that you will do justice to the people of the northwest by protecting our quarter from misuse. There are many competent people in our states including doctors and professors that can represent us well in the pencom management,” the petition stated.
Section 13 of the NYSC Act provides that eligible Nigerians who skipped service are liable to 12 months imprisonment and/or a fine of N2000. In addition, such Nigerians are not eligible for civil service and public service jobs.
