The Osun State Government has blasted the Senator representing Bayelsa Central senatorial district, Ben Murray-Bruce, for offering to donate his wardrobe allowance to Osun State workers who are owed over 7 months salaries.
Senator Bruce had on Wednesday, via his official Twitter handle, announced that he would be giving his wardrobe allowance to Osun workers and widows in his community.
The wardrobe allowance, N506, 600, he said, will be divided into two with half given to the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Chairman in Osun State and the other half given to the Head of Widows Association in his community of Akasa.
5-As soon as my wardrobe allowance is paid, I will divide it into 2. Half will be publicly given to the NLC Chairman Osun.
— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) June 17, 2015
6. The other half will be publicly given to the head of widows association in my community of Akasa.
— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) June 17, 2015
However, in response to the Senator’s comments, the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, also on Wednesday, accused the Senator of mocking Nigerian workers.
In a statement put out through his spokesperson, Semiu Okanlawon, Gov. Aregbesola accused the lawmaker of playing to the gallery and engaging in self-serving philanthropy.
“Of all the States in the federation who are battling to pay salaries as a result of the precarious economic situation his party the PDP threw Nigeria into, why is it that it is Osun he wants to take his pay to?” the Governor asked.
“This is certainly playing to the gallery and nothing but a mockery in the faces of Nigerian workers and not only of Osun extraction.”
Aregbesola accused Senator Bruce of playing politics with people’s suffering and urged him to get his priorities right, that if he feels his salaries and allowances are extreme, he should lead a protest to that effect.
Read full statement below.
Why is Senator Murray-Bruce mocking Nigerian workers?
“My attention has been drawn to a tweet by a member of Upper chamber of the National Assembly, Senator Ben Murray Bruce of the Peoples Democratic Party from Bayelsa, saying he will not reject the alleged hefty pay for members of the National Assembly but collect it and donate to Osun workers.
“It is saddening and tragic that Mr. Murray Bruce whom many had accorded a lot of respect is too early in the day joining the fray of politicisation and trivialising the salary issue affecting more than half of the states of the federation in this ridiculous manner.
“While Nigerians are in hot debate over the alleged jumbo pay and the mood of the country Murray Bruce seems to have turned the plight of Nigerian workers to a thing of an entertainment.
“Of all the states in the federation who are battling to pay salaries as a result of the precarious economic situation his party the PDP threw Nigeria into why is it that it is Osun he wants to take his pay to? This is certainly playing to the gallery and nothing but a mockery in the faces of Nigerian workers and not only of Osun extraction. It is not only wicked but ungodly to play politics with the suffering of the people.
“If the Senator’s conscience tells him his pay is too high especially in the face of the prevailing economic predicament of Nigeria the most honourable thing to do is to lead a protest for reduction and not a self serving philanthropy only in the direction of Osun workers.
Semiu Okanlawon
Director Bureau of Communication and Strategy
Office of the Governor Osogbo