CATBAN demand sack of Minister of Health over bribery at NHIS

Citizens Action To Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN) has demanded that the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari suspend the Minister of Health Prof Isaac Adewole over his role in bribery and conspiracy in the ongoing crisis at the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS).

In a petition dated 10th October 2017 and copied to the office of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President,Bukola Saraki, Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and several others, CATBAN said the role of the minister in bribing the ministerial investigative committee with over N19million as reported by several newspapers is unacceptable. Read the full petition below: CATBAN/PFRN-RIS-01 10th October, 2017 His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Presidential Villa, FCT, Abuja. Dear Sir, REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION AND SUSPENSION OF HON. MINISTER OF HEALTH OVER N19MILLION BRIBERY OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND ABUSE OF AUTHORITY IN THE MINISTERIAL INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME (NHIS) CRISIS. Citizens Action To Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN) writes to seek an urgent investigation and suspension of the Hon. Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole over his role in an embarrassing N19 million bribery of committee members, conspiracy and abuse of authority in the ministerial investigation committee setup by the Honourable Minister to look into the National Health Insurance (NHIS) crisis, which culminated into the suspension of the NHIS Executive Secretary, Prof Usman Yusuf. CATBAN recalled that on July 6th 2017, the Executive Secretary of the NHIS was suspended for 3 months by the Hon. Minister of Health over alleged infractions as contained in some petitions already being investigated by anti graft agencies. The suspension of Prof Yusuf came exactly 10 days after he testified under oath before the House of Reps Committee on Health, investigating corruption perpetrated by Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) where he blew the whistle on massive corruption. The Federal House of Representatives, having properly studied the situation that led to the suspension of the NHIS boss and deemed it inappropriate and unjustifiable, passed a motion on the floor of the House to condemn the Minister's action and demanded that the Executive Secretary be reinstated within a week, a resolution not respected by the honourable minister. In its resolution, the House of Representatives said it saw the suspension of Professor Yusuf as an act of intimidation meant to silence a credible witness in an ongoing investigation of massive corruption by HMO’s and said the main purpose of the motion of the House was to protect a witness in an ongoing investigation and to protect any future potential witness against the intimidation and abuse of power of a superior. Additionally, apart from the call by the Federal House of representative to reinstate Prof Yusuf, the Minister's action was seen to be illegal, as it violated the NHIS Act particularly sections 4 and 8 where it states that the appointment and removal from office of the Executive Secretary whether by way of suspension or otherwise is at the instance of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who appointed him. His actions amount to abuse of his power as a supervising Minister, disrespect of the laws of the land and usurpation of the powers of the President and the Commander In Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Nonetheless, the Minister proceeded with the suspension and set up a committee to investigate the suspended NHIS boss. The Minister of Health set up a Committee to investigate allegations contained in the petitions against Professor Yusuf. It is noteworthy that the same petition had also been sent to 15 offices including the Presidency, Senate, House of Reps. ICPC, EFCC, DSS, NSA among others. In fact, the ICPC had been investigating these petitions for the past 6 months and are yet to find any evidence of wrong doing against Prof Usman Yusuf. FAIRNESS IMPOSSIBLE CATBAN have cause to believe that it is impossible for Professor Yusuf to be treated fairly and justly by this Committee for the following reason: (a). The Minister and the Ministry of Health are acting as the Accuser, the Police, the Prosecutor, Jury, Judge and Jailers all at the same time, when they are also party in the crisis. (b). The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health who is the Chairman of the Committee is an interested party who was reported with documentary evidence on the front page of Daily Trust Newspaper of (12th May, 2017) as demanding N197m, $37,000 and Land cruiser from the NHIS in contravention of existing Circular sent to all MDAs in 2008 signed by the then SGF Ambassador Babagana Kinkibe criminalizing such actions. Professor Yusuf refused these and several such requests from the Ministry of Health citing this subsisting circular. (c). This clearly calls into question the credibility, impartiality and independence of this Committee (d). Also, because of the criminal nature of some of the allegations in the petitions, a Ministerial Committee is not the appropriate agent to investigate these petitions but statutorily constituted anti-corruption Agencies like the ICPC or EFCC (e). The ICPC has been investigating these same petitions for the past six months and have completed the investigations without any incriminating findings against the NHIS boss. And as expected, the outcome of the investigation proved beyond any reasonable doubt that indeed, fairness and justice cannot be associated with the committee’s report. BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION BY THE HON. MINISTER OF HEALTH (a). In the last two days, three National Newspapers, Daily Trust, Leadership and Blueprint have revealed damning evidence of payment of N19, 184,000 made to Members of the Committee set up by the Hon. Minister of Health as compensation for involvement in the conspiracy and coming out with false, but indicting report against the suspended NHIS Boss. (Find attached table). (b). Some members of the Committee were paid as high as N1, 904,000 for a 3 week's job. (c). Narrative of the Table: A total sum of N19, 184,000 was paid as bribe from the funds of NHIS enrollees to members of the Ministerial Committee under the guise of allowances. The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Hajiya Binta Adamu Bello was paid N1,280,000, while each of the 13 Directors on the Committee received N960, 000 and the 4 Assistant Directors took home N640, 000. Even 3 of the Permanent Secretary's security detail were not left out of the buffet as each of them received N320, 000. Additionally, the sum of N1, 904,000 was also paid to the Secretary of the Committee Dr. O. J. Amedu to purchase stationary. CONCERNS OVER MISMANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS (a). What is most disturbing is that, the financial inducement of the Committee Members was paid out of the coffers of the NHIS, which is essentially money from enrollees meant to pay for their medical care and that of their families. (b). It is unexplainable, how members of a committee which claimed to be investigating alleged corruption would receive millions for 3 weeks job. This is bribery from all indication. (c). The fact that money was used as an inducement to indict Prof. Yusuf discredit the content of the committee’s report, which clearly confirm that the investigation itself is a clear case of persecution against the anti corruption efforts of Prof Yusuf. (d). These financial inducements are criminaland flagrant violation of Civil Service Rule (e). This is exactly the type of corruption, wastage and impunity that Professor Yusuf was fighting in the NHIS and the reason they want him out of the way. (f).The suspension of the NHIS boss by the Hon. Minister in connivance with the Permanent Secretary, who had been refused access to NHIS funds is most certainly a way to get their pound of flesh from Professor Yusuf because of his refusal to allow them use the NHIS as their ATM. This explains why members of the Committee set up had to be bribed to indict him at all cost, even though there was no evidence to justify the indictment. OUR DEMANDS (a). The Hon. Minister of Health should immediately be suspended for presiding over and complicity in this bribery scandalas which completely negates the anti-corruption spirit of this Government. (b).The report of the ministerial investigation against the suspended NHIS Executive Secretary, Prof Usman Yusuf should be disregarded because its credibility has been tainted by these illegal financial inducements of over N19 million. (c). The President should immediately reinstate Prof. Usman Yusuf as recommended by the Federal House of Representatives to continue his reform process at the NHIS. (d). All members of the ministerial investigative committee that received financial inducement should refund all the money paid to them back to NHIS enrollees (e). The committee members should be investigated and sanctioned for receiving bribes to wrongly indict an innocent public officer and tarnish his image before the public. (f). The Acting Executive Secretary of the NHIS who authorized the illegal payment of the bribe should be held liable and severely sanctioned for mismanagement of public funds. (g). The House of Representatives should follow through on its motion and compel the Hon. Minister of Health to appear before its Health Committee to answer questions on his illegality and why he has defied the resolution of the House on the suspension of Prof Yusuf. We look forward to your prompt action on this matter.