NHIS reinstatement controversy: Buhari summons health minister, acting executive secretary

Thursday, 08 February 2018 05:18

NHIS reinstatement controversy: Buhari summons health minister, acting executive secretary

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Minister of Health, Mr Isaac Adewole, and Acting Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, Mr Attahiru Ibrahim, have been summoned to the Presidential Villa.

Mr Ayo Osinlu, Head, Media and Public Relations of NHIS, confirmed this to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.

“We are awaiting the outcome of the meeting,” he said.

The meeting on the NHIS controversy held after FEC meeting.

The meeting between the officials and President Muhammadu Buhari was expected to centre on the controversial reinstatement of the suspended Executive Secretary of the NHIS, Mr Usman Yusuf.

The invitation came a day after Mr Buhari reinstated Yusuf.

Yusuf was suspended by Minister of Health, Adewole, in June 2017, following allegations of gross misconduct.

A panel commissioned by the minister after Yusuf’s suspension later found him culpable of infractions that ranged from nepotism to theft of public funds.

An administration official familiar with the development revealed Tuesday evening that Buhari did not consider Yusuf’s indictment by a ministerial panel before asking him to return to work.

The letter authorising the reinstatement of the Yusuf was signed by Mr Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to the President.

The letter with subject matter ‘Recall from suspension of Professor Usman Yusuf, dated February 5, with ref no: FH/COS/10/6/A/29 was addressed to Adewole and delivered to the ministry of health on Tuesday evening.

“The above subject matter referred, kindly note that Mr. President has approved the recall of Professor Usman Yusuf from suspension effective immediately”.

The recall of Yusuf came exactly six months after his suspension. He was initially suspended from office on July 6, by the minister of health after directives from the office of the Vice president, Mr Yemi Osinbajo while in acting capacity as the president.

Adewole in his letter to Yusuf, had directed him to step aside and hand over to the most senior officer at the agency so as not to influence outcome of the investigate panel set up to investigate the allegations against him.

Mr. Yusuf had been accused of nepotism, misappropriation of funds, among others.
However, as at Wednesday, Mr. Yusuf was yet to resume office.