Nigeria’s Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige has said that Doctors who want to leave Nigeria are free because we have more than enough doctors and free to export.
The Minister made the statement when he appeared on Channels TV Sunrise Daily show saying that Nigeria can export doctors since we have surplus.
Chris Ngige who stated that doctors are free to leave Nigeria as he defended report of doctors searching for green pastures outside Nigeria, added that “if you have surplus, you export.” Reacting to Maupe Ogun’s question on if he was worried with the rate doctors leave Nigeria, the Minister of Labour said;
“No, I am not worried (about doctors leaving the country). We have surplus. If you have surplus, you export. It happened some years ago here. I was taught chemistry and biology by Indian teachers in my secondary school days.
“There are surplus in their country and we also have surplus in the medical profession in our country. I can tell you this. In my area, we have excess. Who said we don’t have enough doctors? We have more than enough. You can quote me. There is nothing wrong in them travelling out.”
Ngige, who himself is a doctor, added that the medical personnel relocating from Nigeria also contribute to the country’s foreign exchange earnings, and that some of them do set up medical centres back home.
He said: “When they go abroad, they earn money and send them back home here. Yes, we have foreign exchange earnings from them and not just oil.
“Will you call that brain drain? I know a couple of them who practise abroad but set up medical centres back home. They have CAT scan, MRI scan which even the government cannot maintain. So, I don’t see any loss.”
See some of the Reactions from Nigerians below.
@SIRDESSTA – @MBuhari Nigerians will continue to call on you if you fail to appoint minds that can deal with issues rather than trivialize them. Chris Ngige and many other ministers have been in limbo in their offices respectively and that’s why your government suffers for it.
@Tracy_On_You – CHRIS NGIGE: I’m worried Nigeria have surplus Doctors, in-fact they are free to leave to ease where.
ME: why won’t he ask our able doctors to leave their fathers land when already APC and Buhari knows they’re incapable to build health facilities.
APC is a disaster period😭
@TheBlaKKGenius – I think some of these ministers enjoy their names being mentioned in the media. Maybe that way, it looks like they are working. Because honestly, I can’t understand what Chris Ngige is talking about.
@LadiSpeaks – This APC membership be like hypnotism – brilliant minds saying bullshit all to defend the party’s anyhowness and so as Dr Chris Ngige done
@emmanuel_ebosie – This is trouble oo. Serious one. How can Chris Ngige make such statements.
So this is truly what the government think about our doctors moving to other countries to practice.
Shame!
If you talk now someone will start telling you about CLEAN money & rice mills.
