NTAC DG, Yusuf Buba Yakub, Highlights Sacrifice, Pan-African Ideals Behind Technical Aid Corps Scheme Says President Tinubu's Support Drives Agency's Performance

The Director-General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, has identified selfless sacrifice and Pan-African ideals as the driving forces behind Nigeria's continued commitment to supporting developing nations through the Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Scheme.

Speaking on Monday at a ceremony in Abuja to receive 11 volunteers who successfully completed their two-year service in The Gambia, the NTAC Director-General expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the progress the Agency has recorded since his appointment following the 2023 general elections.

Buba noted that President Tinubu's longstanding commitment to capacity development, even before assuming office, has strengthened Nigeria's dedication to South-South Cooperation and other international development initiatives being championed by NTAC.

He reaffirmed that the Agency remains a vital instrument of Nigeria's soft-power diplomacy, deploying skilled professionals to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries to promote technical cooperation, capacity building and sustainable development.

According to him, the Federal Government's continued investment in the TAC Scheme, despite domestic challenges, reflects Nigeria's enduring commitment to the advancement and development of people of African descent across the world.

Earlier, while presenting the returning volunteers for their honour parade, the Director of Programmes at NTAC, Ambassador Bello A. Jaye, commended the Director-General and the Agency's management for their unwavering support. He noted that the enabling environment provided throughout the assignment contributed significantly to the volunteers' outstanding performance.

Responding on behalf of the volunteers, Engr. Oyetunji A. Akinlabi expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for sustaining the TAC Scheme and its global impact. He also thanked the NTAC management for its continuous support, revealing that the team recorded significant achievements in higher education, judicial development, research, planning and public policy during their assignment in The Gambia.

He disclosed that the volunteers developed a University Policy and Conditions of Service for the University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (USET), contributed to the formulation of The Gambia's National Research Policy Framework, and supported reforms in student financing, research administration and other strategic sectors.

"We carried Nigeria's mission and delivered. We impacted lives, strengthened institutions and demonstrated that Nigeria remains a dependable development partner. The people of The Gambia continue to appreciate Nigeria's contributions in all these areas," Akinlabi stated.

The ceremony featured the presentation of Certificates of Service to the returning volunteers, marking the successful completion of their foreign assignment and reaffirming NTAC's commitment to advancing Nigeria's foreign policy objectives through technical assistance, knowledge exchange, capacity building and human capital development across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.