Ben Bruce asked to ‘emulate Canadian doctors’ by protesting high pay for senators

March 9, 2018 1:49 pm

Ben Bruce, senator representing Bayelsa east, says while Nigerian doctors are protesting meagre salaries, their Canadian counterparts are protesting for being paid “too much”.

Writing via his Twitter handle on Thursday, Bruce said Nigeria cannot pay its doctors well “but we can budget ₦1.1 billion to clean a government office”.

“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,” he wrote.

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?

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— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) March 8, 2018

But the senator’s statement did not go well with most of his followers.

While some of them accused him of being “part of” the plight of the doctors in Nigeria, a few others applauded him for speaking “common sense” — but “tell this to your colleagues on the floor of the senate.”

They asked Bruce and his colleagues at the upper legislative chamber to “take a cue” from the action of the Canadian doctors and protest their high pay.

Senators in Nigeria are collecting 13.5 million monthly, apart from their monthly salary, according to Shehu Sani, lawmaker representing Kaduna central senatorial district.

Below are some of the reactions Ben Bruce’s tweet generated.

https://twitter.com/Izzo_Hova/status/971817327128993792?s=19

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 can't pay Doctors well enough but each Senator including you smiles home with 13million every month.

Which way Nigeria.
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— Spears (@Spearszed) March 8, 2018

Sounds nice, let it start from the Senate. You people should cut down your Maxi bumper wages. Charity begins at home, don’t throw stone when you live in glass house. 13.5m monthly and 220million constituency allowance. Ole ni yin

— General Sekere (@Generalsekere) March 8, 2018
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You seem to be oblivious of the fact that you're a part of the all these inefficiencies & insensitivities! Why have you not refused & stopped your colleagues from amassing N13.5million as extra running cost as revealed recently by Senator Shehu Sani? Tell us your part in it.

— Olubiyi Bibi Falemara-Williams (@bibi2williams) March 8, 2018