President Barrow Reaffirms Gratitude to Nigeria as Gambia’s Engineering University Graduates 951 Students

President Barrow Reaffirms Gratitude to Nigeria as Gambia’s Engineering University Graduates 951 Students

Tinubu Committed to Strengthening Nigeria-Gambia Development Cooperation – NTAC DG

The President of the Republic of The Gambia and Chancellor of the University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (USET), His Excellency Adama Barrow, has reaffirmed his country's deep appreciation to the Government and people of Nigeria for their continued support through the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) Scheme.

President Barrow made the remarks during USET's 2nd Combined Convocation Ceremony held in Banjul, where a total of 951 students graduated under the theme, "Innovation for Impact: Science, Skills and Sustainable Development."

The Gambian leader commended Nigeria's development cooperation efforts and acknowledged the significant contributions of Nigerian professionals deployed under the NTAC Scheme to critical sectors of the Gambian economy, particularly higher education.

He also praised development partners and stakeholders for their support towards the growth of USET and urged the graduating students to remain connected to their alma mater by contributing to its future development. President Barrow further encouraged the University's Governing Council and Management to sustain innovation-driven initiatives that promote long-term impact and sustainable development.

Representing Nigeria at the ceremony, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, conveyed the goodwill of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to the Government and people of The Gambia.

Yakub reaffirmed President Tinubu's commitment to deepening Nigeria's development cooperation with The Gambia through strategic technical assistance, knowledge transfer, capacity building and the deployment of skilled Nigerian professionals.

A major highlight of the convocation was the visible impact of the NTAC Scheme on higher education development in The Gambia, as several Nigerian volunteers currently occupy key leadership positions in the country's tertiary institutions.

Among them are the Vice Chancellor of USET, Engr. Prof. Nazmat Surajudeen-Bakinde; Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Ado Yusuf Abdulfatah; Director of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance, Prof. David Gundu; Director of Grants and Research, Prof. Akinlabi; and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) of the University of The Gambia, Prof. Kayode Adekeye.

Their appointments to strategic academic leadership positions underscore the enduring success and relevance of the NTAC intervention in The Gambia.

In her remarks, Prof. Nazmat Surajudeen-Bakinde, herself a beneficiary of the NTAC Scheme, paid glowing tribute to the Government of Nigeria and the NTAC Director-General for their unwavering support to higher education development in The Gambia. She acknowledged the immense contributions of Nigerian professionals to the growth and transformation of tertiary education in the country.

The NTAC Director-General also commended The Gambia's Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Prof. Pierre Gomez, for his dedication to strengthening the partnership between NTAC and The Gambia.

According to Yakub, Prof. Gomez initiated discussions on enhancing collaboration with NTAC as early as his second day in office, demonstrating remarkable commitment to educational advancement and human capital development.

During the ceremony, Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates were awarded to 951 graduands across various disciplines. Outstanding students were also honoured with Academic Excellence Awards, having achieved exceptional performances ranging from 70.03 per cent to 91.50 per cent.

Several distinguished personalities received recognition awards for their contributions to education and development. Notably, the NTAC Director-General, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, was honoured by President Adama Barrow for NTAC's outstanding contributions to capacity building and educational development in The Gambia.

Delivering the valedictory speech, the overall best graduating student expressed appreciation to the World Bank for its support to the institution and commended the Vice Chancellor and Management of USET for their commitment to student success.

While congratulating her fellow graduates with the declaration, "We made it!", she encouraged continuing students to remain focused, uphold integrity and pursue excellence, adding: "Here at USET, we don't take the best; we make the best."

The event attracted several high-profile dignitaries, including the Chairperson of the Governing Council of USET, Engr. Ebrima Cham; Sierra Leone's Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie; members of the diplomatic corps; senior government officials; academics; development partners; and other distinguished guests.

The convocation once again highlighted the enduring impact of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps Scheme as a strategic instrument of Nigeria's foreign policy and South-South Cooperation, fostering human capital development, institutional strengthening and stronger bilateral relations between Nigeria and The Gambia.