Suspended NHIS boss, Usman Yusuf drops bombshell

The suspended Executive Secretary of the national Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf on Friday said his suspension by the governing board of the scheme was not unconnected with his refusal to release N975 million to the ministry of health.

Yusuf who made the allegation when he appeared before the House of Representatives panel investigating the crisis that followed his suspension, said the panel that investigated him was bribed.

Asked whether he has any evidence, Yusuf responded in the affirmative saying, “I even have documented evidence of how the money was shared.”

He also said the day the governing board announced his suspension was the day he was meant to present a report on the violation of the public procurement processes at the agency.

“Why was I suspended on October 18 and not 19th of October? The 18th of October was the day I was going to present a result of the forensic audit of the activities of HMOs,” Yusuf said.

“Eighteenth of October was nothing but preemptive coup at the NHIS. It was a gang up to stop my fight against corruption.

“These are all allegations that have been recycled. They were all investigated by the ICPC and EFCC; and they found nothing and I was cleared. They wrote to me clearing me.”

Yusuf also denied accusations he illegally awarded contracts at will at the agency, but, however, admitted that a company owned by his brother – Mohammed Kabir-Yar’Adua – was awarded a N406 million contract at the agency.

He told the committee the company won the contract through due process in 2016.

Isaac Adewole, minister of health, insisted Yusuf was justly indicted of corrupt practices.

The minister, represented by Abdulaziz Abdulahi, permanent secretary at the ministry, insisted cases of financial infractions were established against the NHIS executive secretary.

Nicholas Ossai, chairman of the sub-committee, directed Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation and officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to speak on the NHIS’ financial transactions during the next hearing.