The House of Representatives on Wednesday summoned the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole over what they termed contempt of the Legislative Houses Powers and Privileges Act and plan to frustrate ongoing investigation into the allegations relating to Corruption by Health Management Organisations (HMOs).
After deliberations by the Committee od the whole, the House resolved to, “Invite the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, to show cause why he should not be cited for contempt of the House as the suspension of the Executive Secretary of NHIS, Prof. Usman Yusuf, appears to be intended to intimidate him, punish him for testifying before the House and silence him from further testifying before the House of Representatives, in its constitutional duties of investigation of issues of corruption, inefficiency and waste in governance.
“Request the minister and the acting Executive Secretary to stop henceforth every process of HMOs re-accreditation, pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation mandated by the House.
“Request the Minister to recall ES of NHIS, Prof. Usman Yusuf, from suspension forthwith and allow him to continue with his sanitisation programme in the agency.”
The House resolution was made after considering a motion brought before it by Hon. Chike Okafor, chairman, House Committee on Healthcare.
The House equally accused the Minister of contempt over his decision to suspend the Executive Secretary of the NHIS, Prof. Yusuf Usman.
Okafor told the session, which was presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara that it would appear that the ES was being punished for exposing corruption in the NHIS during his speech at one of the committee’s investigative hearing.
The House alleged that the embattled NHIS helmsman refusal to accede to series of demand for payment of N197.073 million for projects executed at some tertiary health institutions across the country as well as the payment of $37,383 for oversea traveling to World Health Organization conference including exposing fraudulent and corrupt practices by the HMOs led to his suspension.
