Usman Yusuf, the controversial Executive Secretary of the scheme has been suspended indefinitely by the governing council of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Ifenne Enyanatu, the chairperson of the NHIS governing council,revealed the resolution of the council to newsmen after a two-day closed door meeting at the Abuja head office of the scheme.
Enyanatu said the council resolved to suspend Yusuf because it has been inundated with petitions and infractions against the official.
She said the council also resolved to set up an administrative panel to examine allegations leveled against Yusuf.
“The panel has three months to complete it’s assignment and report back to us”, she noted.
She said the reason for the suspension is to allow the panel an ‘infetted’ space to do a thorough investigation.
“We consulted and got the approval of the honorable Minister of Health before this suspension. ”
Enyanatu also announced that Mallam Sadiq Abubakar will now act as Executive Secretary in Mr Yusuf’s stead in the time being.
Yusuf’s reign in the state run insurance scheme has been fraught with various allegations of corruption, infractions and high-handness.
Yusuf has earlier been suspended by the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, in July 2017 over gross misconduct and alleged fraud.
Then, Adewole set up a panel to investigate the allegations.