Labour berates FG for reinstating suspended NHIS boss

ORGANISED Labour under the umbrella of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has berated the federal government for reinstating suspended Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Professor Usman Yusuf.

The union said the recall of Yusuf was another dent in the anti-corruption war.

In a press statement issued in Lagos, the ASCSN Secretary-General, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal posited that the action of the President was capable of being interpreted to mean that the Government anti-graft war was selective and designed to deal with specific targets.

“How can a government official being investigated for a whopping sum of N919 million fraud by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) be reinstated by the Government that came to power promising to sanitize the system.

“This is very unfortunate. We, therefore, urge President Buhari to rescind his action and allow Professor Yusuf to leave the system in peace,” it stated.

The Union regretted that the action of Mr President was capable of lending credence to Professor Yusuf arrogant public statements several times that he could not report to the Minister of Health since he dealt directly with Mr President.

“Thus, if Professor Yusuf resumes as Executive Secretary of NHIS, it will amount to passing a vote of no confidence on the Minister. What type of a Government are we claiming to be running that anyone who is close to the President will become lawless, will not obey Public Service Rules, nor report to the supervisory Minister, running a Government Agency as his personal estate because of he’s close to the powers that be.”

“This is the type of action that continues to give the like of United State President, Donald Trump, the effrontery to be deriding Africa and its leaders,” the Union regretted.

According to the ASCSN, the Investigative Panel set up by the Minister of Health to look into the atrocities of Professor Yusuf which include engaging Consultancy Firm in which he had vested interest to be ripping off the NHIS was serious public demeanour that should not be condoned.

It is also on record that Professor Yusuf had recruited persons from his primordial constituency who are on grade level 10 in the State Public Service and imposed them on the staff of the NHIS by placing them on grade level 15 and above.

“This is one intervention too many and as such Mr President should allow Professor Yusuf to retire from service to have time to run his personal business,” the Union added.

The Union posited that the dust surrounding the smuggling of Maina, former Chairman, Presidential Task Forces on Pension Reforms back to the Public Service was just settling down and now it is the reinstatement of Professor Yusuf.

As at the time of going to the press, the workers in the NHIS have become restive thereby setting the tone for the series of Trade Union actions that will be deployed if Yusuf is eventually reinstated.