Senate investigates ‘corruption’ in NHIS, NPHCDA

The senate has mandated its relevant committees to wade into the alleged cases of corruption in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

The resolution of the senate was sequel to a motion sponsored by Mao Ohuabunwa, senator representing Abia north.

On October 18, the NHIS governing council suspended Usman Yusuf indefinitely on allegations of financial infractions.

Enantu Ifenna, chairman of the council, said the executive secretary refused to carry out the board’s decisions on critical issues and noted that there was institutionalised corruption at the agency.

Moving the motion on Wednesday, Ohuabunwa said public agencies have moved away from focusing on serving the citizens “to furthering impunity that borders on personality cults”.

“That major crises have been brewing at the NHIS over allegations of high-handedness, budget distortion, fraudulent cost manipulation, illegal investments and unprofessional manipulation of the human resources of the agency; all these being issues that have pitched NHIS against its employees and its board while jeopardising the interests of the general public,” the senator said.

“The same situation is also applicable in the NPHCDA – where the executive director has been accused of high-handedness, reckless spending in the purchase of unwanted vehicles, intimidation and unwarranted transfer of senior staff members without regards to due process.

The senator said if nothing is done on the development, “the important roles of our public agencies in advancing the economic, social and general well-being of our citizens will be seriously impaired, and our nascent democracy will gradually lose its steam to emerging impunity of government appointed self-serving titans now looming large”.

The committees are expected to present their report in two weeks.