Members of the National Union of Textile, Garment, and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) have expressed grief over the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, stating that he was strongly committed to reviving the country’s textile industry.
In a statement signed by the NUTGTWN President, Peters Godonu, and Secretary General, Ali Baba, the union said, “We join all Nigerians and the rest of the world to mourn the passing of the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari.”
The union said, “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 recognised the importance of the manufacturing sector as a key driver of economic development. He was the first President who commendably raised the prospects of reviving the labour-intensive textile industry to create mass decent employment,” they said.
Baba remarked, “During the 2015 presidential election campaign, he was perhaps the only candidate who made textile revival a major campaign issue. 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.'”
He noted, “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 the textile industry. First was putting in place a 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 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.”
The union continued: “His administration also collaborated with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to provide funding support and intervention programs to struggling industries, including the textile and garment sector. The textile revival fund and restrictions on forex for the importation of textile materials under his watch were aimed at creating jobs and boosting local production. These were significant steps in the journey towards restoring Nigeria’s once-thriving textile industry.
“President Buhari was the first President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to grant an audience to the leadership of our great union on Tuesday, July 23, 2019. We recall his renewed promise and assurance of changing the narrative of the textile sector from that of closure of factories to a bold revival effort that will revive the good old days of cotton, textile and garment sectors.
“In appreciation of his commendable effort to revive the textile industry, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union conferred on President Buhari the title of HONORARY MEMBER of the Union.”
The union added: “We are delighted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration also recognises the textile and garment sector’s critical role in job creation, industrial growth and national economic development. We commend President Tinubu for the demonstrated commitment to continuity in the pursuit of industrial development and job creation. The emphasis on renewed hope through reindustrialisation, investment in skills, infrastructure, and support for local industries aligns with our union’s long-standing advocacy for industrial revival, employment and decent work for all.
“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.”
