IN a letter dated July 6, Isaac Adewole, minister of Health, ordered the suspension of Usman Yusuf, executive secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme. Adewole said he based the suspension on series of petitions written against him which he had forwarded to him for his comments.

“I am to draw your attention to your response which has been considered unsatisfactory, I have therefore directed the setting up of an investigative committee on the various allegations against you.

“Consequently, you are directed to proceed on 3 (three) months suspension with immediate effect to pave way for an uninterrupted investigation, in accordance with Public Service Rule,” the minister wrote.

Consequently, the minister directed Yusuf to handover to the next most senior general manager in the agency.

In the meantime, the Federal Ministry of Health has dissociated itself from the letter written by Yusuf, the suspended executive Secretary of the NHIS.

A statement made available to Realnews, on Friday, July 14 said: that “Prof. Yusuf, being a public officer, is bound by the regulations governing the Public Service. The NHIS is an agency supervised by the Federal Ministry of Health.”

The stated signed by Boade Akinola, director, Media and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, said that “the Administrative panel of Inquiry raised by the Ministry to investigate activities of the agency has commenced its assignment with specific terms of reference.”

The minister had set up a 13-man investigation panel following his suspension on July 6. The panel is headed by the permanent secretary, Ministry of Health.

—  Jul 24, 2017 @ 01:00 GMT