N919m fraud: Minister to brief Reps on NHIS boss’ indefinite suspension

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has extended the suspension of the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Usman Yusuf, indefinitely.

Adewole is also expected to brief the House of Representatives on his reasons for suspending Usman.

Adewole had said in a letter addressed to the Chairman, House Committee of Healthcare Services, Chike Okafor, on July 24, that he would brief the House after the conclusion of investigations on the NHIS boss.

The minister, had in July, suspended Yusuf for three months and set up a committee to investigate the NHIS boss, who was accused of fraud in a series of petitions. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who was the acting President at the time, had asked the minister to investigate Yusuf.

The committee set up by Adewole comprised senior officials of the ministry, the Department of State Services and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

Yusuf’s suspension coincided with an ongoing probe at the House wherein the NHIS boss had accused Health Management Organisations of frustrating the NHIS and perpetrating fraud worse than the oil subsidy.

The House therefore saw the suspension as an attempt to intimidate Yusuf and stifle its probe.

The committee set up by the minister, however, found that an alleged fraud to the tune of N919m allegedly took place under Yusuf, who had spent less than a year in office. The report was then sent to the President on September 4.

In a memo with reference