By Ahmed Idris
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday approved the establishment of an independent fact-finding panel to investigate allegations of infractions against the Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Professor Yusuf Usman.
The President also directed the embattled HIS boss to proceed on administrative leave immediately in order to create room for an unfettered investigation by the committee, Permanent Secretary (General Services Office) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Olusegun A. Adekunle, said in a statement in Abuja.
The statement said the panel, headed by a retired Permanent Secretary Dr Bukar Hassan, would be inaugurated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Gida Mustapha, on on Friday, November 2, 2018.
Members of the committee are Director of HPRS in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole; Director of Audit in the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, Mr. Adewale Owolo; and the Deputy Director of Expenditure in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Shamsuddeen Bello.
Others are the Director of Certification and Compliance, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Mr. Ishaq Yahaya; and the Director of Science in Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Ekanem John Udoh, while the Director of Administration in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mrs. Jummai Idakwo, would serve as secretary.
The committee would investigate the alleged infractions listed by the NHIS Governing Council in letter dated October 18, 2018, and determine the extent of culpability or otherwise of the Executive Secretary with regards to the allegations.
The committee is also empowered to make appropriate recommendations based on its findings and to identify, investigate and make recommendations with regards to issues that led to the unhealthy relationship between the board and the scribe.
Another term of reference of the committee is to investigate and make recommendations on the extent of involvement of staff unions’ within the institution as to the current impasse between the governing board and the executive secretary; and to examine all governance challenges in the NHIS and make appropriate recommendations.
