By Olimatou Coker
At least 15 new Nigerian professors and doctors have been deployed to the University of The Gambia on a two-year voluntary service.
The senior academics were deployed by the Nigerian Government as part of its Technical Aid Corp (TAC) programme to assist African and Caribbean countries with professionals in various fields to meet their manpower needs.
Under the arrangement, the Nigerian government will be responsible for the payment of monthly upkeep of the volunteer lecturers while the Gambia government caters for their accommodation, utilities and local transportation.
Mohammed Manu, the Nigerian High Commissioner to The Gambia, explained that the UTG has been the main beneficiary of the TAC scheme but other areas such as the judiciary and health sector also equally benefited. He said over 500 volunteers have been deployed since the start of the TAC. He revealed that the scheme has been a major part of Nigeria’s foreign policy to enhance the capacity of the African continent to achieve competence in various fields.
Manu said the 15 lecturers have come to replace the 14 volunteers that have just returned to Nigeria.
He encouraged them to behave well and think of themselves as ambassadors of Nigeria during their stay, adding that they must stay away from any negative activity.
Prof. Herbert Robinson, the Vice Chancellor of the University of The Gambia, expressed delight at receiving yet another batch of lecturers from Nigeria.
He thanked the Nigeria High Commission for the new volunteers and praised the work of the last batch. The Vice Chancellor said relationship between The Gambia and Nigeria has been very long, and is a history of development cooperation between two very friendly countries. The 15 lecturers have since been distributed to their various departments of specialty.
