By Maureen Okon
The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) says its Director-General, Dr Yusuf Yakub, has undertaken a monitoring and evaluation mission to Liberia to assess the performance and welfare of Nigerian volunteers serving in the country.
According to a statement signed by the Corps’ Head of Information and Public Relations, Mrs Ojo Olubunmi, in Abuja on Friday, the mission was aimed at ascertaining the level of impact of the Technical Aid Corps (TAC) volunteers deployed to Liberia.
Olubunmi quoted Yakub as saying that the mission provided an opportunity for direct engagement with the volunteers and enabled the NTAC leadership to review their assignments, contributions and experiences in their respective areas of deployment.
He explained that the exercise also enabled the delegation to identify challenges confronting the volunteers and assess areas where additional institutional support might be required to enhance their effectiveness.
The NTAC director-general added that the monitoring and evaluation exercise formed part of NTAC’s efforts to ensure that the deployment of Nigerian professionals remained responsive to the development priorities and needs of partner countries.
He said the agency was committed to ensuring that technical assistance provided by Nigerian professionals produced meaningful outcomes through knowledge transfer, skills development and human-capital development.
He noted that the mission also reflected Nigeria’s commitment to South-South Cooperation and development diplomacy, in line with the foreign-policy direction of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The NTAC D-G said the initiative was particularly consistent with the administration’s 4-D foreign-policy agenda of Democracy, Development, Demography and Diaspora, as well as the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Yakub added that the mission further reinforced the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and Liberia, particularly in the areas of technical cooperation, human-capital development, knowledge exchange and institutional collaboration.
He assured that NTAC would continue to strengthen its monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure that Nigerian volunteers effectively delivered on their mandates while their deployments remained aligned with the development needs of partner countries.
The NTAC D-G appreciated the Government and people of Liberia for the warm reception accorded the Nigerian delegation, as well as their continued cooperation and support for Nigerian volunteers serving in the country.
“The engagement underscores Nigeria’s commitment to sustaining mutually beneficial technical cooperation with Liberia and strengthening professional and institutional partnerships in furtherance of development and stronger African relations,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the TAC volunteers in Liberia, the Team Lead, Mr Ajibe Yahaya, expressed appreciation to Yakub for his continued support and attention to the welfare and professional development of Nigerian volunteers.
Yahaya said the leadership’s encouragement had boosted the morale and commitment of the volunteers, assuring NTAC management of their continued dedication to duty and commitment to upholding the good name and reputation of Nigeria in Liberia.
He also commended the monitoring and evaluation mission, saying the engagement demonstrated NTAC’s commitment to the performance, contributions and welfare of Nigerian volunteers serving abroad.(NAN)
Edited by Deji Abdulwahab
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