•Want suspended ES reinstated within 7days
From Kemi Yesufu, Abuja
The House of Representatives has accused the minister of health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, of suspending the executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf, over his refusal to accede to series of demands, including the payment of N197.073 million to the ministry for unsubstantiated expenditure.
The House also accused the minister of flouting the Legislative Houses Powers and Privileges Act, claiming he has plans to frustrate ongoing investigation into allegations of the mismanagement of N351 billion paid to health management organisations (HMOs) since 2005.
The House, in adopting a motion on the “Need to Protect Witnesses that Testify Before House Committees: the Case of the Suspended NHIS Executive Secretary,” sponsored by Chike Okafor and 35 other members, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the minister to reinstate the suspended ES.
The general manager, Contribution Management Division, NHIS, Atahiru Ibrahim, resumed as the Acting Executive Secretary of the agency on Monday.
The House disapproved of the directive of the minister that called for Yusuf to step aside to allow investigations into petitions against him, stating that Adewole, who was also appointed by the President, had no power to suspend another appointee.
Yusuf was suspended by the minister over petitions allegedly sent to the ministry of health.
The House equally resolved to, “invite the health minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole, to show cause why he should not be cited for contempt of the House as the suspension of the Executive Secretary of NHIS, Prof. Usman Yusuf, appears to be intended to intimidate him, punish him for testifying before the House and silence him for further testifying before the House of Representatives in its constitutional duties of investigation of issues of corruption, inefficiency and waste in governance.”
