The comments made by the senator representing Bayelsa East, Ben Murray-Bruce, on the increased salary of Canadian doctors have triggered a debate on Twitter.
Recently, hundreds of doctors in Canada reportedly protested their own pay raises a public letter when nurses and patients are struggling.
Senator Murray-Bruce, who seemed to be concerned with counterparts of the protesters in Nigeria, took a swipe at the Federal Government for allegedly failing to address their concerns.
“Obviously, you will want doctors and other workers to be paid poorly when you can afford to fly abroad for your own medical treatment at taxpayer’s expense but let us think of the people. Take a cue from Canada. If we don’t pay our doctors well, we will lose them to other nations,” the lawmaker said in a tweet on Friday.
While some Nigerians feel upset with Murray-Bruce’s comments, others defended him amid a recent disclosure that senators reportedly get millions of naira as running cost.
See some of the reactions below:
At a time Canadian doctors are protesting that they are being paid too much (your eyes don’t deceive you), doctors in Nigeria are on strike for not being paid enough. We can’t pay our doctors well, but we can budget ₦1.1 billion to clean a government office. Which way Nigeria?
— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) March 8, 2018
That’s the spirit
— NemmySucre (@OrijiSucre) March 8, 2018
Sir,you and your colleagues in the senate and House of assembly can also protest that your allowances are too much…what do you think?
— Izuchukwu (@Izzo_Hova) March 8, 2018
I disagree. The voice of someone who is part of the government will be heard in criticism than you and I who ain’t part of it. What Sen. @benmurraybruce needs is majority of his colleagues who can join their voice with his. #Democracy
— OntopTheWorld (@MrAbelJulius) March 9, 2018
Let the Nigerian senators take a queue from this
— Raymond lucid (@Rayonlucid) March 8, 2018
He has always talk about pay cut of d senators from d beginning but no support. He even repeated same last week when he replied at @bugITng. What else do u want him to do?
— Ifade (@tundepapiTee) March 9, 2018
Why can’t Nigerian senators emulate the Canadian Doctors?…. then we will know you are fighting people’s cause… You can lead by example too..not just to attack presidency all the time … National Assembly is part of the system and problem sir.
— adeniye ayokunle (@ayoadeniye) March 8, 2018
We always forget Ben Bruce is just a senator and not in d executive and he is doing his best in a mild , subtle and non aggressive d best way he could. One day history will be kind to him.
— Ifade (@tundepapiTee) March 9, 2018
‘Harsh’ ? How ? ….. I just think our leaders should lead by example .. they should accept responsibilities for their short comings and made amend rather than to use critical issues that affects the country as blame game…. APC _ PDP… presidency _ National Assembly
— adeniye ayokunle (@ayoadeniye) March 8, 2018
The truth is that he alone cannot do it, it’s a matter of voting in the house for a bill to be passed. I believe he is creating awareness for the masses (there are still pressure groups).
— Edoja Oghenevwaire (@edoja_john) March 9, 2018
