Dr Yusuf Yakub, the Director-General, Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), says President Bola Tinubu is committed to Africa’s development using Technical Aid Corps Volunteers to bridge both professional and educational gaps.
Yakub said this on Monday in Abuja, during a deployment exercise for four TAC volunteers to Sierra Leone and Seychelles.
He lauded Tinubu for his strong support to the promotion of the mandate of NTAC using the 4-Ds in foreign policy, namely, Democracy, Development, Demography and Diaspora.
He said that Nigeria needed to be celebrated as the only country in Africa to engage and bridge the professional and educational gaps in African, Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) countries in the past 37 years.
According to him, this is in the spirit of the United Nations’ South-South Co-operation.
“Over 10,000 Volunteers with diverse capacities have been sent to serve in over forty countries of the world.
”They have demonstrated competence, simplicity of lifestyle and above all quality service to the appreciation of the host countries and institutions where they serve,” he said.
The NTAC boss urged the volunteers to shun all hindrances to quality service-delivery in their countries of assignment.
“I understand that some of you may own big homes in Nigeria, but, please make do with whatever you are offered in your place of service.
“You must commit to making this country and our dear President proud on this national call to duty. If you have any challenges, please, contact our mission in the country where you are serving.
“The tripartite agreement you will sign with us and the country of your service will itemise all our responsibilities to you, which the corps will continue to abide by, ” he said.
Speaking earlier, Amb. Zakari Usman, the Director of Programmes at NTAC , urged the volunteers to strive to live up to the demands of the scheme by following in the exemplary footsteps of those who served before them.
Usman charged them to showcase the best of Nigeria as Ambassadors, in competence and in character at all times in their host communities.
A member of the Volunteers, Mr Salmanu Mamman-Shatta, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, conveyed their appreciation to the Federal Government for giving them the opportunity to serve the nation as ambassadors.
Mamman-Shatta said that the team would do the nation proud in the 24-month service scheme.(NAN)
