By Health and Science Africa
The Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria ( MHWUN) has described
former President Muhammadu Buhari as a patriotic and visionary leader.
The National President of the union , Comrade Dr. Kabiru Ado Sani Minjibir and the Secretary General, Comrade Auwalu Yusuf Kiyawa stated this in a statement while commiserating with the family of the late president and Nigerians.
The union described him as a selfless elder statesman, a man with inner strength, and dedication to serve Nigeria dutifully .
MHWUN said, “Moreover, late President Muhammadu Buhari was very much admired and trusted by Nigerians who believed in him as a true democrat who laid a level playing field for the emergence of his successor without interfering with the electioneering process to install his preferred choice; as had been the case with many previous leaders.
“Most of all , his love for the poor and downtrodden in our society, his courageous stand against corruption in all its ramifications, stood him out as a true and great leader,” they said.
The MHWUN leadership said President Buhari’s love for young Nigerian children who moved him to introduce the school feeding programme, which drastically reduced the number of out of school children.
The statement said he also went further to support families in the country with some stipends through the social investment and poverty alleviation programme
MHWUN said it is common knowledge that President Buhari refused to dance to the tune of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and their leaders who demanded Nigeria to abruptly remove subsidy on electricity and fuel, without minding the economic and socio implications, instead of a gradual process for the benefit and betterment of common Nigerians.
It said, “Farmers in the country will always remember him for the Farmer’s anchor borrowing programme, which he conceived and implemented as master stroke to boost food production in the country.
“The late President will always be on our minds as a labour friendly president. He unprecedentedly increased the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years and 35 years of service to 40 years. With a new teachers’ salary structure. The health sector and other sectors of the civil service have recently also benefited from this bureaucratic structural innovation.
“Without hassles, late President Buhari signed into law the N30, 000:00 minimum wage.”
The union said his fight against COVID-19, which claimed millions of lives in more civilised climes but with little impact in Nigeria, is very much commended to this day.
While saying he built the second Niger bridge, the union said he also revived the country’s abandoned railway system.
He also maintained infrastructures around the country, the Lagos Ibadan express way , Abuja – Kaduna expressway, it said.
It said, “Most importantly, he was a military governor of North Eastern State, a former (Minister) Federal Commissioner of Petroleum, he built the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries, a former military Head of state and an executive president of the country for eigh years. Yet, an iota of corruption was not found in him.
“In fact, his death is an unimaginable colossal loss not only to Nigeria as country, but Africa as a continent. He did everything possible within his power to touch positively the lives of Nigerians and Africans, especially those within our sub region – ECOWAS. ”
The union further said, ” We, the leadership and entire members of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, pray that may God give his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
May Allah forgive his shortcomings , accept his good deeds, and grant him Jannatul Fiddaus.”
