NHIS Executive Secretary confronts Minister, refuses to go on suspension

The Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf has rejected the recent directive by the Minister of Health ordering him to go on three months suspension.

On Friday, the Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole had ordered Yusuf to proceed on three months suspension to pave way for an investigation following petitions written against him.

However, in a letter dated July 12, 2017, Yusuf gave reason for his inability to comply with the directive.

According to him, under the Act setting up the scheme, the appointment and removal of the Executive Secretary was at the instance of the President.

“Except removed from office by the President under the circumstances specified in the NHIS Act, my appointment is for a period of five years.

“This is subject to a further term of the same period at the discretion of the President,’’ according to the letter obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The embattled Executive Secretary however said that although the NHIS Act empowered the Minister to give directive of general nature to the Governing Council of the scheme and could exercise Presidential mandate in the absence of the council, such powers did not include  “discipline, suspension or removal of the Executive Secretary  of the Scheme from office.”

Yusuf added that “the directive in your letter under reference cannot find comfort under the said section of Presidential mandate.”

He further argued that the Minister’s directive was not in compliance with the Public Service Rules as no prima facie case had been established against him in respect of the petitions referred to in the suspension letter.

“The mere fact that there are pending petitions against a public officer which are yet to be substantiated does not constitute a ground for suspension under Public Service Rules,” he reiterated.

He said the petitions referred to by the Minister were also being investigated by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), which was yet to submit its findings.

“In the light of the above, I wish to humbly urge that the Honourable Minister should allow the investigations of these petitions to follow due process,” he said. (NAN)