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Nigeria Advances its Big-brother Role in Africa as DTAC, Meet Volunteers, Education Minister, Others In Uganda

Published

1 year ago

November 9, 2023

Joel Ajayi

The Director-General, Directorate of Technical Aid Corps, Rt. Hon. ( Dr.) Yusuf Buba Yakub has said that the Technical Aid Corps Scheme remains an instrument of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy through which the President Tinubu Administration wishes to continue to deploy soft-power diplomacy to countries of Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific in line with Nigeria’s President 4-D Agenda.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the DG, DTAC Nkem Anyata-Lafia.

Rt. Hon. Buba, stated this when he met separately with Volunteers serving in the TAC Scheme, Vice Chancellors of Universities hosting the Volunteers in Uganda as well as the Hon. Minister of Education and Sports in Kampala.

He also emphasized the enormous advantages that soft power wields over coercion in nation-to-nation relations.

Buba, who also observed that strong bilateral ties and relations had existed between Nigeria and Uganda even before the establishment of Country Missions in their both capital cities, reminded his diverse audiences that Nigeria recognized early its immense potential in human and natural resources and, therefore, took an Afro-centric stance to contribute to the development of sister- African countries as well as countries with sizable black populations across other continents in what is generally known as South-South co-operation.

He said the provision of manpower to such African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries was a deliberate move that was meant to not only bridge the gap in capacities lacking in those nations but to develop the needed skills among such host nations towards the attainment of self-reliance.

He said: “Uganda and Nigeria have come a long way. I recall that the first Chief Justice of Uganda, Justice Udo Udoma, was an eminent Nigerian jurist from today’s Cross River State. It is no wonder, therefore, that when the TAC Scheme came on board with the establishment of the Directorate of Technical Aid Corps in 1987, Uganda became one of the first countries to receive Volunteers and benefit from the Scheme in 1988.

“About 35 years later, I am happy to observe that we have continued to deploy quality Volunteers to Uganda. These Volunteers, from what we have gathered in the course of this visitation and from what University authorities have, specifically, told us, have continued to discharge their duties with dexterity and knowledge and have been adjudged by all as worthy Ambassadors of the Nigerian nation, who have exemplified character, conduct and learning wherever they are currently serving, ” the erstwhile federal lawmaker noted.

Earlier, during interactions with the Volunteers at the Nigerian Mission in Kampala, where they had gathered to receive the DTAC delegation, most of the 75 Volunteers range from Senior Lecturers, Associate Professors, and Professors, among whom are Faculty Deans, Heads of Departments and Directors of Schools in the four different Universities where they are serving in Uganda, expressed appreciations for the benefits the TAC Scheme has provided to them to contribute to global development and to return to Nigeria better.

Also in the course of interactions with the Vice Chancellor of Kampala International University, Prof. Mouhamad Mpezamihigo, that of Cavendish University, Prof. John Mogisha as well as Associate Prof. Ismail Simbwa Gyagenda of Islamic University in Uganda( IUIU), and the representative of the Vice Chancellor of Kabale University, who is also Dean, Faculty of Engineering in the institution, Prof.Moses N. Twesigye-Omwe, lauded the commitment of the TAC Volunteers to duty and professionalism.

The DTAC delegation was completely enthralled at the level of encomiums poured on the TAC Scheme Volunteers in the four citadels of higher learning where they are currently serving. The authorities of the various schools, it must be noted, are committed to receiving more Volunteers apart from expressing the wish to retain some of them whose two-year service tenure is nearing completion.

While also visiting the Hon. Minister for Education and Sports, the DTAC delegation was elated to note that the Hon.Minister of State for Primary Education, a Medical Consultant, Dr. Joyce Kalucha, who stood in for her colleague in the Higher Education section of the Ministry headed by Janet Museveni, the nation’s First Lady who also doubles as the substantive Minister of Education and Sports, was herself trained by a Nigerian Volunteer in the TAC Scheme in the early years of the Scheme.

The Ugandan team, which apart from the Hon.Minister of State, comprises the Commissioner for Higher Education, Timothy Musoke Ssejjoba; the Director, of Higher Education; Dr.Sophia Museene and Mpyangu Godfrey Andrew, Senior Assistant Secretary, among others, informed the Nigerian delegation of ongoing reforms in the Ugandan education sector.

The team requested support from DTAC in order to bridge the identified gaps in such areas as Oil and Gas Engineering/Technology, Aviation Engineering/Technology, the Sciences, and Artificial Intelligence, among other areas.

The DTAC delegation, led by the DG, Rt. Hon.Buba, and comprising Amb.Mohammed Mohammed, Director of Programmes; Mr.Idris Saidu, Ag.Director, Finance and Accounts and Mrs Rahila Ayuba Kaura,Ag. Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, also met with the Permanent Secretary, of the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where commitment was also elicited for more collaboration, cooperation, and strengthening of existing ties in areas relevant to the TAC Scheme.

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FG Approves Professionalisation of Youth Work

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

As part of the efforts being made to create a pathway to success for all Nigerian youth, the Federal Government has granted approval for the full Professionalisation of Youth work in Nigeria.

The Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande made this known while addressing the congregation of the Youth workers during the 2024 National Youth work conference which coincides with Youth workers capacity building and membership induction. The conference which has the theme: “A right to youth work and a positive future for all young people, celebrating diverse expressions of youth work across the globe” took place at Afolabi hall within the Ministry in Abuja.

According to the Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry , Mr Olubunmi Olusanya: “I am happy to announce that approval for the full Professionalisation of Youth work in Nigeria has been granted by the Hon. Minister. The Ministry is ready to drive this important process, recognizing the urgent need for established codes of ethics and standards of practice.

This has become necessary because of the proliferation of practice whose activities have had adverse effects on the quality of services by young people. I therefore enjoin this noble body of professionals to join forces with the Ministry in its effort towards establishing distinct career paths for youth development work”.

“The Ministry is critically looking at innovative partnership with the private sector, access to financing for young people’s ideals, and the integration of digital skills training. We are of the strong belief that entrepreneurship should be fostered from a young age, which means that all relevant stakeholders must partner in building a generation of young Nigerians who are skilled and prepared to lead”.

“Today we are not only to discuss how we can build the capacity of the youth to contribute to the socio-economic development of Nigeria, but to plan the specific ways we can build a future that is inclusive, resilient, and sustainable for every young Nigerian, especially in the face of rapid global change and challenges that are complex and interconnected, ranging from climate challenges, technical advancement, economic shift, unemployment, mental health issues, inequality, lack of access to quality education and so on”, the Minister added.

He emphasized that: “In these challenges, there are also immense opportunities for growth and transformation. It is worthy to state that our young people must be prepared not only to lead but be frontline agents in unlocking these opportunities.”

He further explained that being a transformative catalysts, youth workers have the responsibility to provide the right platforms, resources, mentorship, and encouragement by bridging the gaps between young people and their potentials, while empowering them with mentorship, advocacy and essential skills to overcome obstacles and thrive as responsible citizens.

He disclosed that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the Federal Ministry of Youth Development is committed to equipping youth who made up 60 percent of the population with the skills, knowledge, and entrepreneurial spirit needed to thrive in today’s competitive world as well as creating an environment where they can innovate, take risks and contribute meaningfully to our economy.

“We are dedicated to empowering young Nigerians through various initiatives focused on skills development, empowerment and engagement by providing them with the tools they need to succeed and thrive. This is why we are strongly propagating our vision of one youth, two skills”, the Minister concluded.

In his remarks, the President of the Nigeria Youth Workers Association (NYWA), Mr Ben Duntoye stressed that many of the Youths are passionate about youth work but there is the need to step up to professionalism.

According to him : “We want to see youth work bigger, we want to see youth work grow in their various work places. Youth work must flourish in Nigeria as it is in the advanced countries of the world”

“That is why we are partnering with the developed countries of the world to assist us with the initiatives put in by them in developing theirs both financially and in kind”, Duntoye added.

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