Usman Yusuf, suspended executive
secretary of the National health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), went comical on
Monday when asked to comment on the ongoing crisis in the agency.
In what seemed to be a mockery of
Patience Jonathan, former first lady, Yusuf sent a three-worded response:
“There’s God o”, to inquiries.
Jonathan’s wife caught headlines
in April 2014 when she used those exact words in reaction to the refusal of
some persons to honour the panel she set up to investigate the abduction of
Chibok schoolgirls.
After his phone rang out on
Monday, a text message was sent to him to explain his role in the
harassment of workers and allegations levelled against him.
At 7:30pm, Yusuf’s terse response
was received.
The executive secretary was
suspended by the NHIS governing board last week, but he had argued that his
suspension was illegal and that he would resume office nonetheless.
He had said only President
Muhammadu Buhari had the powers to suspend him.
On Monday, policemen numbering
over 30 arrived at the NHIS office in the Utako area of Abuja, amid a lockdown
by workers who attempted to prevent him from entering the premises.
After firing teargas at the
protesting workers, the entrance gate which was locked was thrown open with the
policemen aiding Yusuf’s entry into his office.
Previous efforts to get Yusuf’s reaction to the crisis, particularly the allegations of
corruption which the board levelled against him as well as his suspension, were
unsuccessful.
YUSUF’S ‘SINS’
Enantu Ifenna, chairman of the
NHIS governing board, had, while announcing Yusuf’s suspension at a press
conference on Thursday, accused him of financial infractions.
She had alleged the executive
secretary had refused to carry out the board’s decisions on critical issues and
“institutionalised” corruption at the agency.
She also accused the ES of
allegedly inflating the scheme’s 2018 budget, “fraudulently inflating the cost
of biometric capturing machines”, and “attempt to illegally execute N30 billion
in federal government bonds”.
The board also alleged that Yusuf
carried out unauthorised staff travel “in defiance to council directive”,
“superfluous arrogation of project vehicles” and added he has been
insubordinate.
Yusuf had said he was innocent of
the allegations when Isaac Adewole, minister of health, first suspended him
last year.
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