Facts emerged that ongoing investigation into the alleged fraud and abuse of office leveled against the suspended Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf was approved by the Presidency.
Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo’s approval was conveyed to the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, via a letter with Ref. No: SH/OVP/DCUS/LGR&C/FMOH/113 dated 10th July, 2017 signed by Ade Ipaye, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, office of the Vice President, obtained by BusinessDay.
“His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, Acting President Federal Republic of Nigeria, is in receipt of the referred petitions, in which allegations of fraud and abuse of office were leveled against the Executive Secretary of NHIS, Professor Usman Yusuf, and has directed that the petitions be forwarded to you for inquiry and necessary action,” the one-page letter read.
Yusuf allegedly purchased property worth N120 million in Wuse 2, Abuja; approved and award contract worth N860 million for training in the 2016 budget, tohis allies in breach of extant rules.
The NHIS boss who is a political appointee also obtained the sum of N38 million from the NHIS Cooperative funds, contrary to the Civil Rule.
Yusuf who was also accused of unilateral approving the secondedment of 15 General Managers into the scheme without due process, however, failed to stop payment of salaries and allowances to the ex-General Managers from NHIS purse, after he was directed to revert to status-quo.
In a related development, the House of Representatives’ Committee on Healthcare Services has issued 48-hour ultimatum to 35 Health Management Organisations to present their audited accounts to the Committee.
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, Chairman of the Committee, Chike Okafor disclosed that out of the 59 HMOs which received payments from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the last 11 years, only 24 of them made their accounts available to auditing consultants appointed by his committee ascertain exactly how much all the firms were paid.
He stated that the Committee in adhering to the principle of fair hearing, had decided to give defaulting HMOs up until Wednesday to make their books available to the auditors working on behalf the Committee.
“As we announced on the final day of the public hearing on the allegations of fraud in health insurance administration and the maltreatment of enrollees on NHIS, the Committee sent auditors to Lagos State to thoroughly scrutinise the books of HMOs.
“This was done in order to compare the figures the NHIS said it paid HMOs overtime, to what they actually received. So far, the auditors have gone through the accounts of 24 of them, with 35 of these companies yet to meet with those we sent.
“The NHIS provided us with all the documents to show how much they paid, but we cannot conclude the investigation without checking what the HMOs received and this is why we have given them till Wednesday to allow for a checking of their account.
“But if they don’t comply, we will be compelled to move on because, we are bent on submitting our report on Thursday. The HMOs are the only parties delaying us, because like I said, NHIS has given us documents on the monies paid and we’ve also had good responses from hospitals and care givers.”
While speaking on the invitation sent to the Health minister, over the three-month suspension of the NHIS Executive Secretary, Okafor confirmed that the Minister will appear before his Committee on Thursday.
“We have written the minister to invite him to appear before us as mandated by the House. The date given in the letter is Thursday 27 July.
“I have been in touch with the minister and the last time we spoke, he told me he was travelling to Ibadan on Friday for the burial of the late Executive-Director of UNFPA.
“He didn’t tell me he wouldn’t be able to appear before the Committee. The right procedure is for him to write the Committee, if he will not appear before us and as I speak with you, we haven’t received any letter from him, so I believe we will be meeting with him on Thursday,” Okafor said.
KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja
