UPDATE: NHIS Boss Yusuf Defies Suspension, Summons Meeting With Staff

BY MUSA SIMON REEF, ABUJA – Embattled Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Professor Usman Yusuf, on Thursday night defied the suspension order handed on him by the Federal Ministry of Health, as he summoned an emergency meeting with all staff of the agency for 9.00am Friday at the national headquarters of the Scheme.

As soon as news filtered to staffers that he had been suspended from office, Yusuf’s Chief of Staff, Ateiza Issa, sent a text message across to union leaders that “the ES will meet with all NHIS Staff at the HQS tmoro, Fri. 7th June 2017 by 9.00am. Tell others please…Ateiza Issa (CoS).”

“But there was confusion last night as some staffers, who spoke to Forefront said, “we are in July and not June. The pro-Yusuf fireworks have started. There is confusion in their camp. The union leaders have resolved to kick against the summon by Yusuf. We shall not attend a meeting called by a suspended ES. He should subject himself to rules of the game.”

According to a source in the NHIS, “Professor Yusuf by virtue of his suspension, until it is lifted, ceased to be the Executive Secretary of NHIS and thus cannot call staff for any meeting of a sort. NHIS staff are advised to disregard a such information as being circulated. The meeting is ill motivated to cause chaos in the Scheme. Don’t partake in the desire to destroy NHIS at all cost.”

Forefront learnt from reliably sources that the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies have been notified of the brewing crisis. This medium could not confirm if arrangements were on to invite Yusuf to have an audience with the secret police.

“As it is now, the crisis at the NHIS is getting to its peak. The moment of showdown has come. We await to see if one man is above the law,” said a worker who pleaded anonymity.

Yusuf was suspended from office through a letter signed by a top official of the Federal Ministry of Health on Thursday. According to the source, the suspension of Yusuf was the outcome of a ministerial committee set up to probe his headship of the agency since his appointment a year ago.

“The truth is that the committee recommended for his suspension so as to thoroughly probe alleged deals that run contrary to financial guidelines.

“Recently, Prof Yusuf directed no fewer than 100 staffers of the NHIS be posted to various health facilities to serve as desk officers. This is something that has never been done. The posting was a prologue to the recruitment of certain categories of workers by the ES who has always declared that he was on a mission to cleanse the Scheme of rot.

“As it is now, the transferred staffers to the health facilities are billed to be recalled. It was an action in clear violation of the guidelines and something far above his powers,” the source explained.

Yusuf has been locked in a war of attrition with major stakeholders in the NHIS, with various groups alleging that his leadership of the agency has been faulty and designed to undermine the workings of the Scheme.

The Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN) had accused the suspended NHIS boss of plotting to paint its members, Health Management Organisations (HMOs) in bad light. HMCAN had petitioned Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to act and save the scheme from Yusuf, whom they accused of coming with a mindset to undermine the health scheme.

Efforts to get a response from Mrs Boade Akinola, who is the Director, Media and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health, proved fruitless. Calls to her phones did not go through, just as a text message to her was not responded to, as at the time of filing this story.

However, a source at the NHIS confirmed that Yusuf was handed the suspension letter on Thursday July 6, 2017 just before the close of work.

Speaking to Premium Times Thursday night, Yusuf had denied ever receiving a suspension letter and challenged the medium to produce the letter.
… developing story