JUST IN: NANS FAULTS CORRUPTION ALLEGATION AGAINST NHIS CHIEF

The National Association of Nigeria Students has faulted the allegations of corruption against the reinstated Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Yusuf Usman.

The association said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Abuja by its National Director of Health, Chukwu-Ani John.

It said that the allegation was “deceptive and based on unsubstantiated evidence’’.

The statement said: “We understand that the committee set up by the Minister of Health to investigate Prof. Yusuf was not independent.

“And that 20 out of the 23 allegations levelled against Prof. Yusuf were unsubstantiated with no reasonable evidence.”

The association commended President Muhammadu Buhari for reinstating Usman.

NANS pledged to support Usman in the fight to correct anomalies in the scheme in the interest of Nigerians.

NAN recalls that Usman was suspended by the Minister of health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, on July 26, 2017, over alleged misconduct.

NANS also said in the statement that it has revoked the health essay competition tagged: “If I were the Minister of Health”, in honour of Adewole.

It explained that the “deceptive and unsubstantiated allegation of corruption against the reinstated executive secretary of NHIS informed members’ decision to revoke the competition.

It stated: “We are also revoking the honorary naming of the nationwide NANS HEALTH essay competition “If I were the Minister of Health”, which we had named after Prof. Adewole, the honourable Minister of Health.

“The decision to revoke the naming of the competition is coming as we just observed that what we were initially told about corruption, and who is truly fighting it in the sector appears to be somehow deceptive.’’

It however noted that about 850 Nigerian students participated from across the country in the revoked health essay competition which ended on December 4, 2017.

According to the association, plans are still on to make “If were the Minister of Health’’ a yearly health essay competition.

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