Gambiaj.com – The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) has announced the appointment of four Nigerian professors to prominent positions at the University of Applied Science, Engineering, and Technology (USET) in The Gambia. This was revealed by NTAC Director-General, Yusuf Yakub, on Saturday in Abuja, during a visit by The Gambia’s Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology, Pierre Gomez.

The professors appointed to USET are Prof. Nazmat Surajudeen-Bakinde who is appointed Vice Chancellor, Prof. Yusuf Abdulfatah, Vice Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Akinlabi Oyetunji, Director of Research and Grants, and Prof. David Gundu, who is appointed Director of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance.

Yakub emphasized that the deployment of these professors, part of Nigeria’s 24-month Technical Aid Corps (TAC) scheme, is a continuation of Nigeria’s technical assistance to The Gambia. The selection of these professors underscores the strong bilateral ties between the two nations in education and technical cooperation.

The NTAC Director-General noted that the professional expertise of the TAC volunteers prompted The Gambia’s Ministry of Higher Education to establish a task force to review the university’s leadership needs. The task force, which was commissioned by the ministry’s governing council, submitted a report recommending the appointment of the Nigerian professors to key roles as USET transitions with the end of tenure of its current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Owusu-Ofori, whose term concludes on September 30.

The Gambian Ministry of Higher Education subsequently requested an endorsement from the Nigerian authorities to finalize these appointments. The formal request was addressed to the Nigerian Mission in Kanifing and copied to NTAC.

Yakub highlighted that The Gambia has been one of the top participants in the TAC scheme, having received over 12,000 Nigerian volunteers, including engineers, lawyers, and medical professionals, since the program’s inception in 1987.

“The Gambia remains one of the first and highest country – subscribers to the TAC Scheme, and it has, at the last count, received over 12,000 Nigerians as volunteers since the establishment of TAC in 1987. They include engineers, lawyers, and medical professionals,” he said.