Chris Ngige, Nigeria’s Minister of Labour has stated that Doctors are free to leave Nigeria because we have more than enough. He said this while appearing on Channels TV Sunrise Daily show.
Chris Ngige said this as he defended a report of doctors searching for green pastures outside Nigeria.
He added that
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“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 is a also a doctor said that the emigration of doctors also ensured money they earned eventually came back into the country as some doctors even 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.”
Watch video below
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