I was never sacked as NHIA boss – Sylvester Mensah

The former boss of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Sylvester Mensah has dismissed claims that he was sacked as the CEO of the Authority.

Mr. Mensah in 2015 was removed as the boss of the Authority and replaced by the official in charge of Operations, Nathaniel Otoo as acting CEO.

In a letter to staff of the Authority, he said “this mail to you signifies a new phase in the life of the scheme, indeed, a change in leadership and a renewed motivation and commitment to steer the scheme with high velocity,” and according to sources close to the Authority, the move was part of a major restructuring President Mahama planned in the public sector before the 2016 elections.

But speaking Wednesday on Starr Chat with host Bola Ray, Mr. Mensah gave clarity to the circumstances leading to his removal from the authority, stating that he was never fired contrary to media reports in 2015.

“I was never sacked or interdicted,” he stated, but rather “reassigned to the office of the president as a Presidential Staffer.”

President John Mahama, he noted, informed him of his relocation to the presidency.

Touching on his invitation by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), he said: “I told my people it wouldn’t be out of place for me to be investigated after my tenure as NHIA boss from day one.”