Policemen were on Monday, February 12, 2018, drafted to the office of the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, in Abuja following workers’ protest over the reinstatement of Usman Yusuf, the executive secretary.
Yusuf was reinstated by the federal government on Tuesday, February 6, 2018.
Usman Yusuf who was suspended by Isaac Adewole, the minister of health, in June 2017, following allegations of gross misconduct was reinstated by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The staff, under the aegis of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, led by Razak Omomeji, the branch chairman, called out its members to express their rejection of President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to return the executive secretary to his seat.
Usman had been suspended from office by Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, following an indictment by an administrative panel, which found him culpable of mismanaging NHIS funds, totaling N919 million and gross insubordination.
Omomeji, who vowed that the staff would continue the protest until Usman was removed, said: “Yusuf has bastardised the scheme and his return would only worsen affairs at the agency. ‘’EFCC is investigating him and President Buhari should allow the investigation be concluded and the report made public before recalling him.”
The staff numbering about 60, commenced the protest at the NHIS headquarters building at Jabi district but were later joined by their colleagues numbering a little over 35 from the annex office in Wuse II district of the FCT.
The protesting staff, who wielded placards with such inscriptions as “Buhari maintain your anti-corruption stand”, “Say no to Yusufgate” ,“No to nepotism and religiousity.”
