The Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MoHERST), on Monday deployed 11 volunteers of the Technical Aid Corps of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (NTACs) to the University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (USET).
The deployment ceremony was held at the ministry's conference hall in Bijilo. However, a second batch of the NTACs professionals of seven volunteers would later join their colleagues in the country.
The experts are expected to provide expertise, assistance to the USET education programme for a period of two years on voluntary basis.
In his welcoming remarks, Prof. Pierre Gomez, the minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology commended the Nigerian High Commissioner for the support. He said the transformation into university is one thing, adding that the environment and personal transformation to meet the requirement also count. He urged the volunteers to help USET to meet the expectations of the deployment, whilst assuring to work collectively with the professionals to achieve the desired goals.
Mrs. Olayinka Temidayo Balongu, Charge d' affaires of the Nigerian High Commission in The Gambia, said that NTAC started in The Gambia in 2009 and currently there are over 500 volunteers serving in the country.
She said that these volunteers are the first set of engineers. She explained that it is part of Nigerian foreign policy to assist other African countries and the Caribbean nations to build capacity.
She said this is to ensure that the African race can develop on its own by developing their capacity. She revealed that the Nigerian government pays the allowances of the volunteers whilst the host country is responsible for their comfort, accommodation to enable them deliver their mandates. She informed that the volunteers are on national service.
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Alieu Badara Saine, the registrar at the USET, noted that the volunteers came at a time when the transition of the university was in high gear, revealing that skills transformation has to go through stages.
He assured them of strong collaboration to achieve the ministry's aspiration. He further challenged them to work through a diary in order to leave a legacy at the end of their service.
Also speaking was Professor Ado Abdul Fatah, head of the NTAC volunteers, he commended the Nigerian government for the deployment, noting that the deployment selection was not something easy.
According to him, he found USET to be a significant institute that has been transformed into a university starting with civil, electrical and mechanical engineering.
He suggested for The Gambia government to have next target on chemical and petroleum. "Whenever you come to that point, I would suggest that you try and have a collaboration with the Malaysian government. They have a strong university," he further informed, revealing that his university has an existing collaboration with them.
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