Ignoring health minister, Buhari reinstates NHIS boss

President Muhammadu Buhari has reinstated the suspended Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Usman Yusuf. Mr. Yusuf was suspended by the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, in June 2017, following allegations of gross misconduct.

A panel commissioned by the minister after Mr. Yusuf’s suspension later found him culpable of infractions that ranged from nepotism to theft of public funds. An administration official familiar with the development told reporters on Tuesday evening that Mr. Buhari did not consider Mr. Yusuf’s indictment by a ministerial panel before asking him to return to work.

According to the source, the letter of reinstatement was sent to Mr. Adewole on Tuesday evening. Mr. Adewole confirmed receipt of the reinstatement letter to reporters on Tuesday night, but did not elaborate on when Mr. Yusuf would resume or under which terms. “It is true that the president has reinstated him,” Mr. Adewole said.

The reinstatement letter urged Mr. Yusuf to work closely with the minister upon resumption. Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, did not immediately respond to reporters’ requests for comments about the development.

For the minister to cooperate with Mr. Yusuf will not be easy, said Eluma Asogwa, a legal practitioner. “This is a humiliation of the minister,” Mr. Asogwa told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone Tuesday night. “He has sent a wrong signal and encouraged insubordination amongst heads of agencies against ministers.”

The House of Representatives had demanded Mr. Yusuf’s reinstatement shortly after he was suspended, saying the minister was wrong and absolved the NHIS boss of any wrongdoing. Mr. Yusuf had also replied the minister that he would not obey the suspension, saying the minister had no powers to suspend him.