The suspended Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf has rejected his suspension and vowed to remain in office. On July 6, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole had directed Prof. Yusuf to proceed on three months suspension to pave way for an independent investigation following allegations of corruption preferred against him. To give effect to the directive, the Minister appointed Mallam Attahiru Ibrahim as the new Executive Secretary of NHIS.
Meanwhile, Yusuf has rejected his suspension. He explained that the action of the Minister was illegal as he lacked the powers to suspend him. Yusuf noted that it was only the President who appointed him that could remove him from office. In a letter to the AMinister, the embattled Secretary listed five reasons that invalidate the suspension order. The letter was also copied to the Acting President, the National Assembly, DSS, the EFCC and Attorney General among others. The letter reads
“By virtue of the NHIS Act particularly section 4 and 8 thereof, my appointment and removal from office whether by way of suspension or otherwise is at the instance of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Except removed from office by the president under circumstances specified in the NHIS Act, my appointment is for a period of five years subject to further term of the same period at the discretion of the president. “Although by virtue of section 47 of the NHIS Act, you are empowered to give directives of a general nature to the Governing Council of the Scheme and in the absence of the Council, you have Presidential mandate to exercise the powers and functions of the council, but since the powers and functions of the Council do not include discipline, suspension or removal of the Executive Secretary of the Scheme from office, the directive in your letter under reference cannot find comfort under the said section or presidential mandate; and
“The letter of suspension is not in accordance with Public Service Rules as no prima facie case has been established against me in respect of the petition referred to in the letter. The mere fact that there are pending petitions against a public officer which is yet to be substantiated does not constitute a ground for suspension under the Public Service Rules. Otherwise, with over 18,000 petitions pending against public office holders before the EFCC and ICPC as at the end of June 2017, the total number of public officers who would have been on suspension by now including Honourable Ministers is left to be imagined.
“As you are aware, the petitions referred to in your letter are currently being investigated by the ICPC which is yet to submit its report. In view of the criminal nature of most of the allegations in the petitions, security/investigative agencies like ICPC are the appropriate agencies for investigation contemplated in your letter; not a Ministerial Committee. I have cooperated fully with the investigations so far and will continue to do so” he added
