Report: FG panel recommends dismissal of NHIS ES, board members

The executive panel set up to investigate the crisis in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has recommended the dismissal of Usman Yusuf, the executive execretary of the agency, according to PUNCH.

The newspaper said the panel also recommended the dissolution of the NHIS governing board over the crisis.

The board had suspended Yusuf for alleged fraud, and for “rendering the scheme dysfunctional“.

But Yusuf defied the board, insisting that it had no power to suspend him.

He also denied all he was accused of and said he was suspended for refusing to release N975 million to the ministry of health.

The federal government, however, asked the NHIS ES to proceed on compulsory leave and subsequently set up the panel to probe the matter.

The panel reportedly accused Yusuf of breaching the public procurement act as well as the public service rules.

It was quoted as saying the NHIS ES had an unhealthy relationship with the staff of the agency, local union and some other key agencies in the health sector, which it said would negatively impact on the sector.

It said another reason Yusuf should be dismissed is for “failing to explore internal administrative remedies” before he sued Isaac Adewole, minister of health, and the governing board over the crisis.

The panel’s report read: “Relieve the executive secretary of his appointment. Justification: Inability to work in harmony with all the relevant stakeholders in the scheme for the attainment of the scheme’s mandate.

“Established cases of infractions of the Public Service Rules i.e. insubordination and refusal to carry out lawful instructions from superior authorities (governing council and the Federal Ministry of Health) contrary to PSR Rule 030301 (0), unauthorised public utterances contrary to Rule 030421 (id), and relevant service-wide circulars.

“Established cases of infraction of the following provisions of the Public Procurement Act: Sections 16(6) and 32(7).”