Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government has said that the reinstatement of the Executive Secretary (ES) of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf, will not prevent his probe.
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said this while fielding question from State House Correspondents on the rationale behind Yusuf’s reinstatement despite being under probe.
President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered the recall of Yusuf who had been suspended by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, in June 2017, following allegations of gross misconduct.
A panel commissioned by the minister after Yusuf’s suspension later found him culpable of infractions that ranged from nepotism to theft of public funds.
Prof. Adewole confirmed to an online medium that he got the reinstatement letter, on Tuesday evening.
“It is true that the president has reinstated him,” Adewole was quoted to have said.
The reinstatement letter urged Yusuf to work closely with the minister upon resumption.
But Mohammed told newsmen at the end of the five-hour, Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, on Wednesday, that he was not aware that Yusuf was being investigated by the EFCC over any allegation of fraud.
He added that Yusuf’s reinstatement would not stop any probe being carried out against him.
According to Mohammed, “I am not aware that the EFCC is investigating the recently reinstated Executive Secretary of NHIS but if that is the case I don’t think his reinstatement is a bar to any investigation.”
When asked why he claimed not to be aware that the NHIS ES is under investigation, the Information minister said, “I didn’t say I’m not aware of his investigation, I said EFCC. I was precise I said I am not aware that the EFCC is investigating him and that if it is true, that the fact that he has been reinstated does not mean a stop to it. That is what I said. I am not saying I’m not aware that he was suspended or any investigation is going on. The fact that he has been reinstated does not mean that the EFCC will not continue with its investigation, that is what I said.”
Earlier, before the commencement of the council meeting, Vice President Osinbajo was seen discussing with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Minister of Water Resources, Suliaman Adamu, Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters (Senate), Ita Enang, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in what seemed to be connected with the reinstatement of the suspended Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf.
Adewole was seen gesticulating and making his points while Osinbajo and other ministers listened attentively.
Unlike the altercation between the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, in Council Chambers over the leaked memo exonerating herself from the reinstatement of the embattled former Chairman of the defunct Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, into the service, the discussion was civil but clear that Osinbajo was seeking clarification.