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  • Feb, Fri, 2020
General news

Gov. Yahaya joins NYSC, EFCC anti-corruption match in Gombe

 

Corruption

By Ibrahim Kado

Gombe, Feb. 14, 2020 (NAN) Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State on Friday joined National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and staff of  the  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in anti-corruption match to sensitize members of the public on the dangers of corrupt practices

Speaking shortly after the match-past, Yahaya said the fight against corruption was a  struggle that should  involve everyone.

He said at the national level Mr President was determined to fight scourge.

He charged youth, especially corps members, to join the fight against corruption in the country.

He lamented that but for corruption, Nigeria would have developed more than what obtained now.

Mr David Markson, Gombe State Coordinator of NYSC said that the essence of the exercise was to sensitise the public on the fight against corruption in the state and country at large.

According to him, the exercise is first of its kind following the directives of NYSC directorate, Abuja, to join President Buhari in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

Mr Michael Wetkas, EFCC Gombe Zonal Head, urged the Corps members to take the campaign down to the grassroots.

He commended the NYSC and Governor Yahaya for joining them in the fight against corruption.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 500 corps members, government officials, Civil Society Organisations, students and other group attended the rally. (NAN)
IMK /GOM/ASH

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Edited by Gregg Mmaduakolam

 

General news

World Anti-corruption Day: Kano agency tasks advocates on corruption crusade

By Aisha Ahmed
Anti-corruption
Kano, Dec. 9, 2019 (NAN) The Chairman of Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corrutption Commission, Mr Muhyi Magaji, has urged justice advocates to engage in rigorous anti-corruption crusade for development of the country.

Magaji gave the task while fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Monday as part of activities marking this year’s World Anti–corruption Day.

He noted that many dramas taking place in courts for people charged with corruption cases were pioneered by advocates.

He decried that corruption had seriously affected the justice system as well as as other segments of the Nigerian society.

“The rate of corruption in the country has affected the non-implementation of many laws, for example the Nigerian Disability Act.

“So, I call on my fellow advocates, to involve fully in the corruption crusade in order to collectively revive our country,” he said.

The chairman further appealed to other state governments to emulate Kano State by establishing similar anti-corruption agencies.

NAN reports that the International Anti-Corruption Day is observed annually on Dec. 9, since the passage of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption on Oct. 31, 2003, to raise public awareness for anti-corruption.

The theme for this year’s day “united against corruption,’ would focus on corruption as one of the biggest obstacles to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to the United Nations’ website. (NAN)
AAA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Corruption, major cause of poverty in Nigeria, says NGO

Mr David Anyaele,  Executive Director, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD. [/caption

By Michael Ajayi/ Vivian Ihechu
Corruption
Lagos, Dec. 3, 2019 (NAN) As the world commemorates the International Day for Persons Living with Disabilities on Tuesday, an NGO, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), has described corruption as the major cause of poverty in Nigeria.

Mr David Anyaele, the CCD Executive Director, made the assertion on Tuesday at a symposium to commemorate the 2019 Disability Awareness Week/International Day for Persons with Disabilities in Lagos.

Anyaele called on persons with disabilities to participate in the current administration’s fight against corruption in Nigeria.

Theme for the Week is: “The Way Forward: Nigeria Disability Act as a Panacea to Corruption as it Relate to Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the International Day for Persons with Disabilities is marked annually on Dec. 3.

Speaking with NAN, Anyaele said that PWDs participation in the fight against corruption would reduce the incidence of poverty, because disability causes poverty and vice versa.

“The incidence of disability will reduce as some state institutions are using people with disabilities to misappropriate funds that are meant for PWDs.

“What that means is that, by reasons of not utilising what has been earmarked in the budget, they have succeeded in increasing their poverty, and other chances of getting more disability in their life.

“That is why persons with disabilities have to take the issue of corruption and fight against corruption very seriously.’’

Anyaele said that there was urgent need to institute the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.

According to him, the none constitution of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities is increasing incidence of disability in the community.

“The reason is because persons with disabilities need government to implement the Disability Act and non implementation of the Act predisposes people with disabilities to negative impact of corruption.

“The implication is that resources that are ordinarily supposed to be used to support them will not be used because there is no commission or Board of Commission to take care of it.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on people in power to take appropriate steps to constitute the board to reduce the hardship of people living with disabilities in this country,’’ he said.

Similarly, the CCD Executive Director also called on the Lagos State Government to constitute a board for the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA).

“The LASODA Board expired with the last administration and it is important to constitute a board and appoint competent persons to head the establishment.

“The none constitution of LASODA Board is hindering the administrative activities of the agency; they cannot take any policy decisions or actions around people with disability in the state.

“It means that people with disabilities are not benefitting in the administration of this government,’’ Anyaele said.

Earlier at a panel session, the EFCC Assistant Director (Legal), Lagos State Office, Mr Kabir Elelu, commended the CCD for its efforts geared toward the enactment of the Disability Act 2018 of PWDs.

Elelu also said there was an urgent need for the establishment of the commission.

According to him, it is the body saddled with the implementation and overseeing the achievement of the act.

In his keynote address, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo, said that disability was also a cause and consequence of poverty.

“This is due to limited access to education, employment, medical care, nutritious food and accessible environment,” Onigbanjo said.

He said that causes of disability include trauma, genetic disorder, malnutrition, environmental hazards, natural disasters, traffic and industrial accidents, civil conflict and war.

Onigbanjo, represented by Ms Biola Oseni, Director, Citizens Right, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, said that PWDS deserve special attention.

“This is to enable them to participate in the mainstream of development and lead a life with dignity and self-esteem.

“People are disabled by society, not just by their bodies; these barriers can be overcome, if governments, NGOs, professionals and PWDs and their families work together.

“PWDs are not heroes, they are not victims; there is a thin line between ability and disability.

“An individual can be able-bodied today and disabled tomorrow; therefore, the issue of inclusion and protection of PWDs involves all and sundry,’’ he said. (NAN)
MA/VIV/GOK
Edited by Olagoke Olatoye

General news

Corruption: Tsav urges Buhari to attach spies to public office holders

By Emmanuel Amtswen
Spies
Makurdi, Aug. 10, 2019 (NAN) Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, a retired top police officer, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to attach spies to all public officers to mitigate corruption in Nigeria.

Tsav told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Makurdi that the Federal Government should urgently stop security personnel from working with public officers beyond two years.

He said the first way to fight corruption was to ensure regular redeployment of officers attached to public officers and attachment of spies to checkmate their activities.

Tsav, a former commissioner of police in Lagos and other states, said lengthy attachment of security personnel with public officers was greatly encouraging corruption and criminality in the country following their familiarity with them.

“Government should attach spies to all public officers. I remember many years back when we were still in the service when you are attached to any public officer to work with, you go there not only as a security personnel but also as a spy.

“When you see anything that is wrong you report to headquarters. But this time, I don’t know, but it looks like some of them are accomplices.

“Some of them join the conspiracy to commit crimes. This will reduce corruption and criminality in our country.” Tsav said.

The former Federal Public Complaint Commissioner also said organisers of “Revolution Now” had committed treasonable offense,  adding that they did not even have enough grounds to call for a revolution in the first place.

He said Nigerians needed to be very cautious of self acclaimed activists and liberation fighters to avoid leading the country into chaos.

“First of all, a revolution is an attempt to take over a government of the day by force and it is completely different from demonstration.

“When you embark on a revolution you want to change that government and that will entail loss of lives and property.

“I think there was not enough grounds for them to call for a revolution. Many other incidents have happened in this country in the past that would have easily invited a revolution but nobody raised a voice; corruption for example in the oil and gas sector.

“They are only using this revolution to destabilise and cause chaos in this country. As far as I am concerned and the established laws of this land, a revolution is a treasonable offence,” he said.

Tsav further said that with the posture of Buhari’s government and his desire to induct and update all ministers with his policies, the ministers would surely add value to the government.

He also said that despite  public outcry against some of the ministerial nominees over allegations of corruption. none was convicted so they remained innocent.

“Those who are lucky to be selected to be ministers by Buhari should please have a change of heart and try to serve this country and not themselves or their pockets. If they have long pockets they should cut them short so that they will have nowhere to keep stolen money.

“There are some allegations I personally made against some of these people but they are in there now so what can I say? With the posture of Buhari, I think they would have something to offer Nigeria.

“Sometimes when you have a criminal case against someone,  you use accomplices to establish your case. Maybe they are using this people as accomplices in the fight against corruption,” he added.

He said Nigerians needed attitudinal change to be able to successfully overcome security challenges in the country, adding that at moment, all insecurity and crimes were perceived to be committed by Fulani herdsmen.

“The issue of Fulani herdsmen did not come to the front burner before this time, now everything that happens it is regarded to be committed by herdsmen.

“If a Nigerian commits an offence in Ghana, Nigerians will say a herdsman is behind the crime. The whole thing is designed to destroy Buhari’s image. These people have left the substance to pursue shadows,” he regretted. (NAN)
AEB/CHOM/MST
Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

No going back on fight against corruption – FG

No going back on fight against corruption – FG
By Tukur Muntari
Corruption
Kano, Aug. 1, 2019 (NAN) The Federal Government has renewed its commitment towards the fight against corruption, saying there is no going back on the war against corruption in the country.
Prof. Sadiq Isah-Radda, the Executive Secretary, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, said this at a One-Day Forum on Anti-corruption held in Kano on Thursday.
“As far as the Federal Government is concern, there is no going back on the fight against corruption,’’ he declared.
The presidential aide said even though the government was facing some challenges, but that would not discourage it from tackling the menace.
“Even though there are challenges or problems but we will continue with the fight because nobody will come from heaven to do it for us.
“The most disturbing issue is ‘illicit financial flows’ where billions and billions are being taken out of the country by crooks.
“Corruption has been as old as the country so much so that it is becoming a way of life. Before now those who refused to loot were seen as fools.
“When things become worst, the fight against corruption becomes a campaign issue in 2015,’’ Isah-Radda said.
He therefore called on Nigerians, irrespective of their political and religious inclinations, to support President Muhammadu Buhari to enable him eliminate corruption in the country for the betterment of the country.
Isah-Radda said Nigerians have a duty to contribute their quota toward the development of the country, adding that the federal government cannot do it alone.
He also urged governors to support the federal government in its determined effort to curb corruption in the country, stressing that there is no way the country could progress if we don’t tackle corruption.
He assured that the federal government would continue to support similar effort of the Human Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), the organisers of the forum, in order to achieve the desired objective.
He noted that the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption had done a lot and urged all stakeholders to support the crusade for a better Nigeria.
NAN reports that the forum, which was the first of its kind at the state level, has its theme as: Anti-corruption Situation Room, The Imperative of State Anti-corruption Agency: Kano State as Case Study.
NAN also reports that the workshop was organised as part of effort to boost the vigour and strengthening of the war against corruption by building synergies between anti-corruption focused CSOs, labour movements and the media, among others. (NAN)
MTM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Anti-graft agency says socio-economic challenges responsible for corruption

By Tukur Muntari
Corruption
Kano,July 6, 2019 (NAN) Mr Muhuyi Magaji, the Chairman, Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission, has attributed socio-economic challenges in the country to corruption.

Magaji made the assertion at a one-day symposium on the activities of the commission and its enabling law on Saturday in Kano.

He said most of the problems confronting the country could be traced to corruption which had eaten deep into the psyche of the society.

He appealed to governments to address the socioeconomic problems and poverty confronting the nation to curb corruption.

The anti-graft agency boss said unless and until the society realise the dangers being posed by corruption in the country, its development may remain retarded.

“Nigeria will never progress or develop if we allow corruption to continue to thrive in the country,“ he said.

Magaji, therefore, called on the people of Kano state in particular and Nigerians in general to complement government effort in the fight against corruption.

He said said the symposium was organised to enlighten the public, especially those with wrong notion that the commission lacked powers to investigate corrupt practices of individuals in the state.

He explained that even though the commission had limitations,it had the power to receive and investigate any allegation of corrupt practices against any person.

Magaji said the commission refers investigated matters to the Attorney-General of the state for necessary action.

He added that Section 16 of the law of the commission, however, limits its functions as it could not investigate matters that were pending before the State House of Assembly.

He added that the commission by law, could not also investigate matters that were pending before any Court of law.

Magaji said that though the commission was working under tensed environment, it would not be deterred from doing the right thing as long as he remained in charge.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants at the symposium were drawn from the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the media and staff of the commission from the 44 Local Government Areas of the state.

In her opening remark, Hajiya Rabi Ibrahim-Waya, the Secretary/Legal Adviser of the commission, urged the participants to be committed to the fight against corruption.

She also enjoined the staff and other stakeholders, most especially civil society organisations, to support the activities of the agency in combatting corruption and addressing public grievances. (NAN)
MTM/HAM/EEM/MST
Edited by Emmanuel Mogbede/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Metro

Falana wants labour, FG collaboration on corruption fight

Corruption
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, June 27, 2019 (NAN) A legal icon, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), has called on the organised labour to partner with the Federal Government in the fight against corruption in the country.

Falana made the call in Abuja on Thursday at the opening of the Triennial National Delegates Conference of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

‘‘The Federal Government must sit down with labour to ensure that the wealth of our country is not dissipated.

‘‘That is why I am going to call on Nigerian workers to collaborate with the Federal Government to fight corruption to a standstill, because you are the greatest victims of corruption.’’

The human rights lawyer noted that labour unions cannot continue to fold its arms and watch continued deprivation of the citizens.

Falana maintained that labour leaders should be committed towards defending the rights of the workers, saying this would go a long way to prevent all policies that stand against nation building.

The legal luminary said the place of labour in national development cannot be overemphasised as they are the vehicle which drives the change for the benefit of the populace.

While citing the provisions of Section 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic, he added that the commonwealth of the country should not be allowed to be concentrated in the hands of few persons.

Falana, who commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the national minimum wage bill into law, said such partnership was necessary to ensure that the law is implemented.

‘‘It therefore goes to say that the national wealth shall be deployed by government to promote national security, national prosperity and the welfare of our people.

‘‘In fact, Section 14 specifically says that the welfare and security of the Nigerian people shall be the primary purpose of government, therefore, knowing that the ruling class will not allow the government to promote security and welfare.

‘‘The Nigerian Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and others have forced the ruling class to concede certain laws to promote the welfare of workers.’’

Earlier, Mr Bobboi Kaigama, TUC President, said the union would not condone any policy and laws that infringe on the rights of Nigerian Workers.

While congratulating the new leaders in the National Assembly, the President hinted that the 8th Assembly made little progress towards promoting the welfare of the citizens.

‘‘Now that an election was conducted and people emerged without any crisis, we expect to see a National Assembly that is focused, intelligent, peaceful and pro-people.

“The organised labour will not condone unbridled greed, laziness, indolence, or any form of anti-people laws in this administration, they have no reason to fail, no more excuses.”

Kaigama also expressed concerns about slow economic growth, rise in youth unemployment and insecurity in the country.

According to him, with the country’s current debt profile still at N24.3 trillion, efforts must be geared towards ending borrowing, and looking inwards for self-sufficiency.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, who represented the President, said the present administration would continue to support the organised labour towards improving the lives of all Nigerians.

He noted that the Buhari administration has made tremendous progress in ending insecurity of lives and property.

He gave assurance that the administration would continue to integrate rural economies into the national grid for the overall socio-economic development of the country.

Mustapha said such efforts included the target to create no fewer than 10 million jobs yearly, with a focus on agricultural development, power sector reforms and social intervention schemes.

‘‘Nigeria has made significant progress in food security, especially self-sufficiency in rice production, we will continue to strengthen our institutions towards ending corruption.

‘‘The executive arm is committed to having a good working relationship with the organised labour, that is why we signed the national minimum wage bill into law, we urge the states to implement it to the letter.’’

Parts of the activities for the triennial delegates’ conference would be the election of new leaders following the expiration of the tenure of Bobboi Kaigama-led executives. (NAN)
TAK/MOL/IS
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Ismail Abdulaziz

Health

Corruption: NYSC adopts ICT strategies

Corruption: NYSC adopts ICT strategies
By Yashim Katurak
Corruption
Abuja, March 25, 2019 (NAN) The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says ICT driven initiatives introduced by the scheme in the last few years in a bid to clamp down on corrupt practices has been yielding results.
Maj.-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, the NYSC Director-General, made this known in Abuja on Monday at the opening ceremony of a Leadership and Anti-corruption Sensitisation Workshop at the NYSC Headquarters.
The workshop is organised by the scheme in collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Abuja Civic Leadership Centre (ACLC).
Kazaure said that driven by the organisation’s zero tolerance for corruption, the bio-metric clearance system for corps members introduced by the scheme had eliminated any chance of compromise by officials.
He said that the system had also eliminated loopholes which allowed corps members to absent themselves or abscond from the service.
The director-general said that registration of prospective corps members by proxy at orientation camps had stopped due to the introduction of ICT driven initiative.
“Driven by our zero tolerance for corruption, the scheme has in recent years evolved internal mechanism for promoting transparency in the conduct of our operations.
“The scheme’s bio-metric clearance system now ensures only deserving corps members receive monthly and other statutory allowances.
“Management has also deployed ICT solutions to make our mobilisation process seamless and prevent mobilisation of unqualified persons.
“Recent innovations by the scheme also include an application that will enable registrars of corps producing institutions to verify the data uploaded by their students’ Affairs Officers thereby eliminating sharp practices.
“The self posting procedure introduced by the scheme which gives prospective corps member a choice from four states option has reduced the pressure from the general public seeking preferential deployment for their children and wards,’’ Kazaure said.
He said the sensitisation workshop was organised to educate NYSC officers who would not only imbibe good leadership qualities but help to enthrone a culture of transparency and accountability for the scheme at all levels.
He said that with the present administration’s stand against corruption, the scheme had made effort and continued to strive to sustain a tradition of transparency in governance.
The Acting EFCC Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu, in his key note address decried the increasing rate of youth involvement in cyber and financial crimes just to earn money and live on the fast lane.
Magu, represented by the Mr Osita Nwaja, the EFCC Head of Public Affairs, said that presently, the demographic of advance fee and internet fraud suspects comprised mostly of young people from the ages of 18 to 30.
The chairman said that most of these suspects were undergraduates operating from campuses of tertiary institutions across the country.
“The question we must ask is why are young people attracted to financial crimes? Many consider recourse to Advance Fee Fraud and internet fraud as an escape from poverty.
“With the high rate of unemployment among the youth especially graduates of the nation’s tertiary institutions, financial crimes especially advance fee fraud and cyber crimes have become avenues to earn a living by young people.
“Once we were a people that valued hard work, once we were a country with strong moral pedigree where adherents of all the religions frowned against covetousness, stealing and other vices,” Magu said.
He said that the commission would continue to aggressively pursue the objective of public sensitisation and re-orientation in the fight against corruption.
Magu said that he however remained skeptical that these efforts were sufficient to completely address the challenge of misplaced values in Nigeria.
The workshop was organised to sensitise NYSC staff on leadership and anti-corruption issues as the organisation remained at the forefront of Nigeria’s anti-corruption crusade. (NAN)
KRY/GOM/MST
Edited by Gregory Mmaduakolam/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

2019: Society urges electorate to vote against corrupt leaders

2019: Society urges electorate to vote against corrupt leaders
By Shuaibu Tatu
Corruption
Birnin Kebbi, Nov. 10, 2018 (NAN) Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, an Islamic NGO, has urged the electorate to vote against corrupt leaders in the upcoming 2019 general elections.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Imam Adeyemi Fuad, made the call on Saturday in Birnin Kebbi during a three-day training workshop for Imams and Islamic scholars.
On unpaid salaries by state governors, Fuad said those leaders who are using their positions to oppress the people would not smell paradise.
“Not only that, those of them who are cheating their people, taking away all the means they would use to survive from them, would suffer on earth and hereafter,’’ he said.
He also admonished the electorate against voting based on religious and tribal sentiments.
“If we vote for them on the basis of collecting peanuts from them, they will also serve us on the basis of having collected from them which is an act of corruption,’’ he said.
The cleric urged all Nigerians to rise and reject corrupt leaders during the general elections.
Besides, he enjoined chief Imams and other religious leaders to use their positions to preach against corruption and to enlighten the public on the evils of corruption in the country.
The cleric said that the anti-corruption arm of the organisation, The Just Foundation, was out to solicit support of Islamic groups, religious leaders, Imams and scholars across the country to preach against corruption.
Fuad said that the foundation was specifically established to promote good governance, anti -corruption, gender and human right advocacy in the country.
“We also established The Just Foundation, an arm under the society to tackle the problems of poverty, giving out Zakkat to improve welfare of masses in our society,’’ he said.
He said that the organisation collected and distributed about N10 million as Zakkat recently, which was also extended to Christians who deserved it, adding that many of the beneficiaries use it to build their houses.
Fuad said that the foundation in collaboration with the MacArthur foundation had started implementing a project tagged “Encouraging accountability and transparency through faith-based intervention (EAT-Fin) in states across the country.
He said that Nigerians were poor because of corruption that had eaten deep into all sectors of the society.
“The money that is supposed to be used for the development of our nation has gone into individual pockets,’’ he lamented.
Speaking on behalf of Chief Imams, Malam Ishaq Mugundi, promised to spread the message to their followers across the state. (NAN)
SZT/JPE/MST
Edited by Joseph Edeh/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Alleged Gross Misconduct: Association renews demand for suspension of NHIS Boss

Alleged Gross Misconduct: Association renews demand for suspension of NHIS Boss
By Talatu Maiwada
Demand
Abuja, Oct. 8, 2018 (NAN) The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has called for the immediate suspension of Prof. Usman Yusuf, the Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), by the Federal Government over allegations of gross misconduct.
Mr Isaac Ojemhenke, Head of Abuja Secretariat of the association, made the appeal while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Monday.
Ojemhenke noted that since the recall of the NHIS scribe on Feb. 6 he had embarked on activities capable of jeopardising industrial peace and harmony in the scheme.
This, he said, had caused division among members of staff along ethnic, tribal and religious lines.
Ojemhenke said that the aborted illegal secondment done by Yusuf, in November 2016 revealed that he brought his nephew, Hassan Kabir Yar’Adua, and posted him to Procurement Department.
He alleged that the appointment was to pave way for a possible arbitrary evaluation and consideration of his father’s company, Lubekh Nigeria Limited, for consultancy in NHIS at a contract sum of N46,798,512.
“Prof. Yusuf engaged in corrupt nepotism in November 2016 by fraudulently awarding contract to Lubekh Nigeria Limited for training of NHIS staff on capacity building at N17,500,000 in Benin, Edo.
“This is gross abuse of office, official trust and evident violation of Section 57(12) (b) of the Public Procurement Act 2007.
“On March 5, Yusuf also engaged in a clandestine attempt to move the sum of N25 billion of enrollees fund for investment before the inauguration of the NHIS governing council, but failed.
“He further moved to get an approval for a dubious investment of another N30,000,000,000, without strict compliance to due process as directed by the governing council.
“The council having discovered such gross misconduct by the Executive Secretary, issued him a query, which up to date he has refused to answer,’’ he said.
Besides, the union leader alleged that Yusuf diverted some NHIS property under the guise of setting up `Home Office’ before his suspension in August 2016, which was strange to public service rules and abuse of office.
He added that on Yusuf`s recall from suspension, `the scribe paid himself N3.6 million allegedly used by him to fuel seven vehicles attached to himself and as reimbursement for purchase of newspapers when he was on suspension.
Ojemhenke further alleged that the NHIS boss refused to refund the sum of N4.3 million which he advanced to himself for a trip to Netherlands, which the Minister of Health never approved in 2017.
“The scheme has also been directed to recover the sum of N14,158, 000 paid to Yusuf and four others for the Netherlands trip and on resumption of office chose to disregard the directives.
“An allocation of seven official vehicles to himself and payment of monthly allowance of N500,000 for fuelling with seven policemen attached to him with monthly expense of N565,000.
“All attempts by the council to make him tow the line of financial discipline and prudency in the face of dwindling resources of the scheme has been resisted by Yusuf.
“The Association is demanding that the government should do the needful as regards the case of Prof. Yusuf, he needs to be asked to step down to serve as a deterrent to others,’’ he said.
Ojemhenke added that such action was necessary in respect of the anti-corruption war of the present administration.
Reacting to the allegations on phone, Yusuf dismissed them as spurious, laughable and unserious.
The executive secretary told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the workers were merely kicking against a minor redeployment he effected last week.
According to him, the transfers were intended to rejig the scheme and not as a punitive measure.
“How can an individual perpetrate all these 12 allegations running into several billions of naira within a short span of time without insiders’ knowledge or collaboration?’’ Yusuf asked.
He challenged the workers to substantiate their allegations and advised all those fighting against the ongoing positive changes to have a rethink in the interest of enrollees and the country.
Yusuf declined further comments, saying “I am yet to see a copy of their press conference’’.
NAN recalls that Yusuf was earlier suspended from office by the Minister of Health, Prof. Adewole Isaac, over allegations of maladministration and insubordination.
But Yusuf dismissed the allegations, explaining that it is corruption that is fighting back.
According to him, serious are measures needed to weed the scheme of fraud for effective and efficient service delivery. (NAN)
TIM/JPE/MST
Edited by Joseph Edeh/Muhammad Suleiman Tola