The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, said it would set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the cycle of crisis rocking the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), following the furore that has trailed the suspension of the Executive Secretary of the scheme, Prof. Usman Yusuf.
This decision is sequel to the adoption of a motion by Hon Diri Duoye on the need to prevent the NHIS from degenerating into a theatre of war.
Leading debate on the motion, Hon Duoye recalled that the governing council of the NHIS had on October 18, 2018, announced the suspension of Yusuf over allegations of fraud and other infractions, relating to procurement violations, unlawful staff posting, defiance of council’s directives, superfluous arrogation of projects and violation of Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy of government.
He also stated that prior to the executive secretary’s suspension by the governing council, he had been issued series of queries demanding explanations on the alleged infractions which he failed to respond to.
The lawmaker added that the latest pandemonium at the head office of the NHIS comes barely five months after the executive secretary was controversially reinstated by President Muhammadu Buhari following his suspension by the Ministry of Health over similar allegations of gross misconduct, corruption and nepotism in July.
Duoye further declared that Yusuf defied the authority of the governing council to suspend him by violently breaking into the Abuja head office of the scheme aided by heavily armed policemen, who indiscriminately teargassed and manhandled staff.
He expressed concern that the agency on which the hope of the nation’s universal health delivery is hinged, is now far from being a theatre of health but has generated into a theatre of war.
In his contribution, Hon Toby Okechukwu bemoaned the circumstances surrounding the crisis which according to him bothers on issues of leadership, lack of capacity and corruption which is the major platform on which the APC government was voted into power.
He said, “The major platform which the government came to power is to fight corruption and it is sad that this agency is embroiled in controversy over issue of procurement and travel cost running into N17million, then something is really wrong. If the council and the head of the agency can’t find it necessary to provide services to Nigerians, then they shouldn’t be there”
But Hon Edward Pwajok cautioned the House to wait for the outcome of its investigation before arriving at a position, pointing out that the Act establishing the scheme is unclear whether the governing council has the power to suspend the executive secretary.
Pwajok also stressed that the investigation would enable the House determine whether the allegations made against the executive secretary is true or not even as it would determine if there is a need for the Act to be amended.
In adopting the motion, the House resolved to constitute an ad hoc committee to probe the crisis as well as the scheme’s operations.
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