The senate has directed its joint committee on primary healthcare and
communicable diseases and the health committee to wade into the crisis
of confidence and corruption in the National Health Insurance Scheme
(NHIS) and that of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency
(NPHCDA).
Yusuf’s tenure has been filled with controversies. His reign partially
came to a halt last year July when the Minister of Health, Isaac
Adewole, sent him on indefinite suspension over allegations of
misconduct and corruption – after which a panel was asked to
investigate the allegations.
On October 18, the governing council of the scheme again announced it
was sending the executive secretary on another indefinite suspension
also over alleged fraud and misconduct.
But he disputed the powers of the council to suspend him and alleged
he was being victimised. The following Monday, he stormed the
headquarters of the scheme with a contingent of about 50 police
officers to force his way into his office.
President Buhari eventually intervened and directed Yusuf to proceed
on administrative leave from November 5, to enable a panel he
instructed to be constituted investigate the allegations against him.
Meanwhile, at the NPHCDA, the Executive Director, Faisal Shuaib, has
been accused of fraudulent practices and violation of procurement
laws.
In a motion titled, “the growing crises in the National Health
Insurance Scheme (NHIS) And the National Primary Health Care
Development Agency (NPHCDA)”, Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP, Abia North) noted
the constitutional role of the Senate to”periodically embark on
oversight functions of ministries and agencies for the purpose of
enthroning good governance, probity, reducing high-handedness of
operators, eliminating corruption and improving overall efficiency”.
He explained that many public agencies have moved away from ”direct
focus on serving the citizens and advancing economic and social
development – to furthering impunity that border on personality cults
and these certainly run counter to the objectives of the federal
government.
“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,’’he said.
