By Omar Bah
The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) has said four Nigerian professors have been selected to hold top positions in the University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (USET) in The Gambia. Dr Yusuf Yakub, the director-general of NTAC, made the disclosure on Saturday in Abuja during the visit of Gambia’s Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Professor Gomez Pierre in Nigeria.
DG Yakub said that the professional prowess of the four Technical Aid Corps (TAC) volunteers led to the set-up of a task force by the ministry’s Governing Council.
He said that this development followed the submission of a report by a task force to request for the four professors to man key positions in the institution.
According to him, the task force was set up to validate the current serving TAC volunteers in that country to fill in the vacant position in USET in order to ensure a smooth running of the university.
“The report of the task force says that The Gambian ministry has requested the endorsement from the Nigerian authorities for their appointment.
“The letter requesting endorsement, addressed to the Nigerian Mission in Kanifing and copied to the NTAC DG, was received on Friday in Abuja.
“The Volunteer professors were selected following openings created by the imminent end of the tenure of the current Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Samuel Owusu-Ofori, whose tenure comes to an end on September 30.
“The professors and their positions include: Nazmat Surajudeen-Bakinde -Vice Chancellor, and Yusuf Abdulfatah – Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics)
“Others are Akinlabi Oyetunji – Director, Research and Grants, and David Gundu – Director, Academic Planning and Quality Assurance,” he said.
The NTAC DG said that the deployment of the crop of volunteers by NTAC to The Gambia earlier in the year was part of the 24-month Nigeria’s TAC scheme.
He said that it was aimed at providing technical assistance to that country.
He said that the move by the Gambian authorities remained significant, as it highlighted the strong partnership between the country and Nigeria in the areas of education and technical cooperation.
“The Gambia remains one of the first and highest country-subscribers to the TAC Scheme, and it has at the last count, received over 12,000 Nigerians as Volunteers since the establishment of TAC in 1987. They include engineers, lawyers and medical professionals,” he said.
