Fertiliser Producers, Textile Workers Mourn Buhari’

The  Fertiliser Producers and Supplies Association Of Nigeria (FEPSAN) and the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) have expressed sorrow over the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing his death as a great loss to the nation.

FEPSAN in a statement signed by the  president, Alhaji Sadiq Kassim, extended heartfelt condolences to the late president’s family, friends and associates, while acknowledging his service to Nigeria.

“On behalf of the  FEPSAN  I extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and associates of His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on his passing,

“President Buhari will be remembered as a principled and resolute leader who served Nigeria with honour and conviction. Throughout his tenure, he remained committed to the agricultural sector as a driver for economic development ” he said.

The association recognised Buhari’s dedication to Nigeria, noting that while his tenure faced challenges, his contributions to national development remained significant.

“We join all Nigerians in mourning his loss, and we pray that the Almighty God grants his family and loved ones the strength to bear this sorrow. May his soul rest in eternal peace,”   he added.

The  FEPSAN president paid tribute to the life and enduring legacy of this distinguished statesman and salutes his contribution to the advancement of Africa’s development, unity, and voice on the global stage.

Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2015 to 2023, passed away on Sunday, July 13, 2025, leaving behind a legacy marked by his anti-corruption stance, agricultural reform  and  infrastructure projects.

NUTGTWN in a  separate condolence message jointly signed by Peters Godonu (President) and Ali Baba (Secretary General) said, “On behalf of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union and the generality of our members, we wish to express our deep respect and heartfelt condolences to his family, the Daura Emirate Council, the government and good people of Katsina State, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR and the good people of Nigeria.

“We remember and honour President Buhari not only as a former Head of State but as a leader who demonstrated clear commitment to decent work, job creation, and industrial revival in Nigeria. President Buhari’s administration recognized the importance of the manufacturing sector as a key driver of economic development. He was the first President that commendably raised the prospects of reviving the labour-intensive textile industry to create mass decent employment”.

The union noted that during the 2015 presidential election campaign, Buhari was perhaps, the only candidate that made textile revival a major campaign issue, stressing that at an audience with a delegation of foreign investors he said, “I have made a promise to Nigerians that jobs will be created as part of efforts to revive the economy and that promise will be fulfilled. We will move as fast as we can to resuscitate the textile and mining industries, and also improve production in our agricultural sector…..we cannot allow industries and factories to close down. Instead, we should be making every effort to ensure that we re-open the closed ones and attract new ones to reduce unemployment.”

“As President of Nigeria, his policies and programmes laid a solid foundation for the revival of industries, particularly in the textile sector. His administration introduced a number of new measures aimed at the revival of textile industry. First was putting in place comprehensive Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) policy which aims at reviving the entire value chains of cotton growing, ginneries, spinning and weaving, printing and garments production.

“We also recall his firm support for the Executive Order 003 on the use of local content in public procurement, which prioritised made-in-Nigeria products, including uniforms for military and paramilitary agencies. This policy boosted demand for locally produced textiles and garments and helped revive hope among our members and factories”.

According to the union leadership, “as we mourn the passing of President Buhari, we celebrate his enduring legacy. May his soul rest in peace, and may his vision for a stronger, self-reliant, and industrially robust Nigeria continue to guide our national development.”