By Maureen Okon
The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) on Wednesday deployed 10 Technical Aid Corps (TAC) volunteers to Uganda for a two-year national service in various fields of expertise.
Dr Yusuf Yakub, Director-General of NTAC, announced the deployment at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Yakub said the deployment was part of President Bola Tinubu’s 4D Foreign Policy Initiative, anchored on Democracy, Development, Demography and Diaspora.
He said the initiative had positioned NTAC as an instrument of Nigeria’s soft-power diplomacy.
According to him, 38 volunteers were initially scheduled for deployment, but 10 were ready to depart, while the others would join them in the coming weeks.
“We thank you for volunteering and for your sacrifice. You are to spend the night today so you can continue your journey tomorrow in line with our commitment to the Ugandan authorities,” Yakub said.
He urged the volunteers to uphold the image of Nigeria during their assignment, saying they would be representing the country in Uganda.
“You are going out there to showcase Nigeria. What the people of Uganda will see in you is Nigeria itself,” he said.
Yakub said NTAC was established in 1987 to deploy Nigerian professionals to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries under South-South cooperation.
He said the corps had deployed more than 11,000 volunteers to over 40 countries in the last 38 years, including more than 1,500 in the last three years.
Yakub said the Federal Government would provide the volunteers’ allowances, while the Nigerian High Commission in Uganda would support and guide them throughout their assignment.
He added that the Ugandan authorities would provide accommodation, transportation to work and utilities for the volunteers.
The volunteers are expected to sign a tripartite agreement before departing for Uganda.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Dr Abdulmalik Aliyu of the University of Ilorin and team lead, said the group would carry out its assignment responsibly.
Aliyu said it was a rare opportunity to be selected from more than 10,000 applicants, adding that the team would work to uphold Nigeria’s image.
Dr Barbara Amaefule of Imo State University described the deployment as an opportunity to contribute to the development of the host communities.
Prof. Taofeeq Yekinni of the University of Ibadan said he felt privileged to be among those selected and was committed to making a positive contribution during the assignment.
“When we get there, we want to make an impact, like other Nigerians have made an impact previously,” he said.(NAN) www.nannews.ng
Edited by Yinusa Ishola/Tosin Kolade
Comments