Fifteen academicians from various fields are set to depart for Uganda under the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) scheme. These academicians, selected from tertiary institutions across Nigeria, will be leaving the country tomorrow to take up positions at different universities in Uganda.
At a pre-departure orientation ceremony, the Director General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its ongoing commitment to providing technical manpower to countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific regions. Represented by Amb. Zakari Usman, Director of Programmes at NTAC, Yakub emphasized the Federal Government’s efforts to ensure even development among ACP nations. He congratulated the volunteers on their selection from thousands of applicants, urging them to view their recruitment as a humanitarian effort aimed at improving global society.
“This is a national call for actions that promote national interest,” Yakub stated. He advised the volunteers to avoid any actions that could compromise the scheme’s spirit and intent.
Professor Clement Gboyega Afolabi, a Professor of Plant Pathology at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and the Team Lead of this batch of volunteers, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the opportunity to serve. He assured that they would represent Nigeria honorably in Uganda and praised the transparent and professional selection process conducted by NTAC.
Other volunteers, including Dr. Usman Bature Isyaku from the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and Dr. Peter Chika Uzomba from the Department of Economics at the Federal University, Lokoja, echoed Afolabi’s sentiments. They highlighted that the TAC scheme aligns with the core responsibilities of academics: teaching, research, and community service.
The ceremony was attended by notable figures such as Amb. Mohammed Shehu Kangiwa, a former Director of Programmes at NTAC, Mr. Lawandy Bala, Special Assistant on Protocol Matters to the NTAC DG, and Mr. James Dung Pam, a Senior Counselor at NTAC, along with other officials and staff members of the agency.
The deployment of these academicians marks a significant contribution to fostering educational and technical collaboration between Nigeria and Uganda, reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to supporting the development of other nations through the NTAC scheme.
