Ad image

Alleged fraud: At last, Buhari sacks NHIS boss, dissolves board

Ezekiel Johnson
Ezekiel Johnson
Alleged fraud: At last, Buhari sacks NHIS boss, dissolves board
Usman Yusuf

President Muhammadu Buhari has finally sacked the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, Prof Usman Yusuf, over alleged fraud and other malpractices.

The sack followed the recommendation of an independent fact-finding panel on the NHIS which said Yusuf should be dismissed from service.

The sack which came about seven months after the recommendation was announced on Monday by the Director, Media, Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs. Boade Akinola, in a statement she issued.

She also announced that Prof. Mohammed Sambo, had been appointed as the new head of the NHIS.

It would be recalled that a panel set up by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation had last December recommended Yusuf for dismissal over alleged fraud.

In a similar vein, a panel set up by the Federal Ministry of Health had in 2017 recommended that he should be dismissed.

The panel probed him over alleged mismanagement of N919 million.

The statement issued by Akinola reads in part:  “Following the recommendations of report by an independent fact-finding panel on the NHIS, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the termination of appointment of the Executive Secretary, Prof. Usman Yusuf, who has been on administrative leave and has approved the appointment of Prof. Mohammed Sambo as the new executive secretary

“Similarly, the President also approved the dissolution of the governing board of the NHIS and directed the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health to exercise full powers of the council pending the constitution of a new board.

“President Buhari has also approved the appointment of Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu as the Director–General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The appointment is in line with the provisions of Section 11(1)(3) of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(Establishment) Act, 2018.”

Share this Article
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *