SAN FRANCISCO, February 08, (THEWILL) – Some employees of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), under the aegis of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria and the Joint Health Sector Union, on Thursday, paralysed activities at the NHIS.
The protest began about 40 minutes after the recently reinstated Executive Secretary, Prof. Usman Yusuf, resumed at the headquarters of the agency in Abuja.
The news of Yusuf’s reinstatement broke on Tuesday and triggered criticisms from many Nigerians but the federal government, in response, said the development does not stop his probe by the anti-graft agencies.
THEWILL recalls that Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health, had on July 6, 2017 suspended Yusuf over allegations of fraud levelled against him.
However, the Presidency, in a letter to Adewole informed him of Yusuf’s reinstatement but failed to make reference to the allegations against him.
Following his resumption, the unionists, who sang protest songs, said the reinstatement of Yusuf would thwart his investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
They described the reinstatament saga as ‘Yusufgate’, said it was a mockery of President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war.
Addressing journalists on the premises of the agency, the Chairman of the NHIS arm of the union, Mr. Razaq Omomeji, said the protests would continue until Buhari reversed Yusuf’s reinstatement.
Omomeji said Yusuf had bastardised the scheme and his return would only worsen affairs at the agency.
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