President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the termination of the appointment of the Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf.
A statement issued by the Director, Media and Public Relations in the Ministry of Health, Mrs Boade Akinola, said following the recommendations of report by an Independent Fact Finding Panel on National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Yusuf, who had been on administrative leave, was removed from office.
According to reports, Prof. Usman Yusuf, the Executive Secretary of NHIS was removed over allegations bothering on fraud.
It was gathered that the former Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, had suspended Prof. Yusuf over alleged fraud.
Following this, the Federal Government set up a probe panel last year and the panel equally recommended the immediate sack of the NHIS Scribe and an interim management team be appointed for the organization to prevent vacuum.
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President Buhari, however did not act on the report until Monday’s announcement of Prof. Yusuf’s sack.
In view of the removal of Prof. Yusuf, President Buhari has approved the appointment of Prof. Mohammed Nasir Sambo as the new Executive Secretary of organisation.
The President also approved the dissolution of the Governing Board of NHIS and directed the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health to exercise full powers of the Council pending the constitution of a new Board.
The appointment of Dr. Chikwe Andreas Ihekweazu as Director –General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) was later approved by President Buhari.
A statement by the Director of Media and Public Relations of the Ministry of Health noted that the appointments are in line with the provisions of section 11(1)(3) of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(Establishment) Act, 2018.
Samson Oyedeyi
