NHIS crisis deepens, minister suspends 8 top staf

By Ajuma Edwina Ogiri Abuja

Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, has suspended eight top management staff of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), days after suspending the Executive Secretary of the agency, Professor Usman Yusuf, over alleged corruption. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives asked the health minister to recall Yusuf, the NHIS chief who has denied any wrongdoing. But in a statement issued by the ministry yesterday, Adewole said the suspension of the offi cers was to pave the way for a thorough investigation of the agency and the aff airs of the embattled ES.

Th e minister directed the Acting Executive Secretary of the agency, Attahiru Ibrahim, to ensure the immediate implementation of the suspension order. Th ose suspended are: Olufemi Akingbade – General Manger, Zonal Coordinator South-south Zone; John Okon – General Manger, Finance Account; Yusuf Fatika – General Manger, Human Resources and Administration; Shehu Adamu – Assistant General Manager, Audit; Vincent Mamdam – Assistant General Manager, Head Insurance; Safi yanu Attah – Senior Assistant Offi cer, Marketing; Owen Udo Udoma – Senior Manager, Contribution Management; Innocent Abbah – Senior Assistant Offi cer, Planning Research and Monitoring. Yusuf, 54, took over the staterun health insurance provider on July 29, last year, but his reign at the parastatal is fraught with allegations of fraud. Th e suspension came weeks after the Senate launched investigations into his activities as the NHIS chief. Th e lawmakers accused Yusuf of “corrupt expenditure of N292 million” which he allegedly spent on health care training “without recourse to any appropriate approving authority.”

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