Council suspends NHIS Boss indefinitely

The Governing Council of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has suspended the embattled Executive Secretary of Scheme, Prof Yusuf Usman indefinitely.

The Chairman of the board, Yantu Ifene, announced Yusuf’s suspension at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday.

The decision was reached after a two-day meeting of the council members.

The Executive Secretary was allegedly found culpable of corruption and suspended by the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole in July last year but was recalled in February 2018 by the Presidency.

Stakeholders in the health sector, led by the Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN) condemned the reinstatement.

They accused President Muhammadu Buhari of preferring ethnicity to competence and ignoring the report of a panel that indicted and suspended Yusuf over an alleged N919 million fraud.

Details later.