A Lagos-based lawyer and human
rights activist, Jiti Ogunye, has spoken on the reinstatement of the suspended
Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, Prof. Usman
Yusuf by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the development shows
that the NHIS boss is now superior to Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole.
Adewole had suspended Yusuf in
June 2017, following allegations of gross misconduct, nepotism and theft of
public funds.
But Ogunye in a chat with Punch
said: “Now that he has been asked to work with the minister, do you think he
will have any respect for the minister as his boss?
“It is obvious, by this letter,
Prof. Yusuf, technically speaking, has become the boss of that ministry and the
minister has become his subordinate.
“Even if the minister were to
remain in that ministry, I think that for the time that he would be there, he
would stay aloof. Nothing from that agency (NHIS) will make the minister to do
anything anymore.
“As far as they are concerned,
the NHIS has become a separate entity that is no longer under the ministry of
health. It has become an island of authority that is tied to the Presidency
directly, so it is not under the ministry of health.
“This may then also mean that
eventually if the administration is going to reshuffle cabinet as it promised
to do, this minister is going to be out.”
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My take, both are professors of Medicine appointees of Buhari to serve in the government. Adewole shouldn't have suspended another appointee without clearance from Buhari. That act was disrespectful. I really pity his current situation.
ReplyDeletebbccty, tanx for observation. Even lawyers overlook dis aspect. Head of agencies are appointees of d President. Same goes for ministers. I understand dat no appointee can remove each other except d President. So let's address dat first. Let's argue it. Is minister right to suspend him? Two wrongs can't make a right. I at d same time expect d President to look into d corruption allegations. Dis is my take.
ReplyDelete