The Executive Secretary of Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof Usman Yusuf, has been slammed with an indefinite suspension by the governing council of the scheme.
The council said the action became necessary to allow investigation into allegations leveled against the executive secretary.
According to the chairman of the governing council, Dr Eyantu Ifenne, the decision to suspend Yusuf was reached after reviewing various documents on allegations leveled against the Executive Secretary.
An administrative panel will be constituted and it will submit its report in the next three months.
Efene said: “The ES is suspended indefinitely to pave unfettered space for the committee to do thorough investigations into the matter.”
The council’s decision was also approved by the health minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole.
While Yusuf is on suspension, Dr Abubakar Sadiq Adamu will be the scheme’s acting executive secretary to ensure smooth operations at the NHIS.
This is the latest development involving the health ministry and the embattled executive secretary.
In July 2017, healthnews.africa reported Prof Yusuf was suspended by Adewole. But in February 2018, Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, intervened, resulting in Yusuf’s resumption as the Executive Secretary of the NHIS.
The presidency is yet to comment on the latest development.