Joel Ajayi
President of the Republic of The Gambia and Chancellor of the University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (USET), His Excellency Adama Barrow, has restated his country’s profound gratitude to the Government and people of Nigeria for the sustained support provided through the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) Scheme, as USET graduated a total of 951 students during its 2nd Combined Convocation Ceremony held in Banjul.
Speaking at the ceremony themed “Innovation for Impact: Science, Skills and Sustainable Development,” President Barrow commended Nigeria’s development cooperation efforts and acknowledged the positive contributions of Nigerian professionals serving under the Technical Aid Corps Scheme to the growth of critical sectors in The Gambia, particularly higher education.
The President also appreciated development partners and stakeholders for their contributions to the advancement of USET and charged the graduands to remain connected to their alma mater by giving back to the institution. He further encouraged the University’s Governing Council and Management to continue advancing innovation for lasting impact and sustainable development.
Representing Nigeria at the event, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, conveyed the goodwill and greetings of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to the Government and people of The Gambia.
The NTAC Director-General reaffirmed President Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s development cooperation with The Gambia through strategic technical assistance, knowledge transfer, capacity building and the deployment of skilled Nigerian professionals.
A defining highlight of the convocation was the visible impact of the NTAC Scheme on higher education development in The Gambia, with several Nigerian Technical Aid Corps volunteers now occupying strategic academic leadership positions in the country’s tertiary institutions.
Among them are the Vice Chancellor of USET, Engr. Prof. Nazmat Surajudeen-Bakinde, Prof. Ado Yusuf Abdulfatah, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), USET, Prof. David Gundu, Director Academic Planning and Quality Assurance as well as Prof. Akinlabi, Director Grants/ Research and Prof. Kayode Adekeye, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), University of The Gambia. Their rise to such positions of responsibility underscored the enduring success and relevance of the NTAC intervention in The Gambia.
In her remarks, Prof. Nazmat Surajudeen-Bakinde, herself a product of the NTAC Scheme, paid special tribute to the Government of Nigeria and the Director-General of NTAC for their unwavering support to higher education development in The Gambia. She acknowledged the significant contributions of Nigerian professionals to the growth and transformation of tertiary education in the country.
The NTAC DG also commended The Gambia’s Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Prof. Pierre Gomez, for his steadfast commitment to the success of the partnership between NTAC and The Gambia. He recalled that Prof. Gomez initiated discussions aimed at strengthening collaboration with NTAC as early as his second day in office, demonstrating remarkable dedication to educational advancement and human capital development.
The ceremony featured the conferment of Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates on 951 graduands across various disciplines. The University also presented Awards for Academic Excellence to outstanding students, with awardees attaining impressive academic performances ranging from 70.03 per cent to 91.50 per cent.
Awards of recognition were equally presented to deserving dignitaries and distinguished personalities. Among the recipients was the Director-General of NTAC, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, who received his award from President Adama Barrow in recognition of NTAC’s outstanding contributions to capacity building and educational development in The Gambia.
In her valedictory address, the Valedictorian expressed appreciation to the World Bank for its support to the institution and thanked the Vice Chancellor and Management of USET for their encouragement and commitment to student success. While congratulating her graduating colleagues with the declaration, “We made it!”, she urged the continuing students to remain resolute, uphold integrity and pursue excellence, adding that “Here at USET, we don’t take the best; we make the best.”
Also in attendance were the Chairperson of the Governing Council of USET, Engr. Ebrima Cham, the Honourable Minister of Technical and Higher Education of Sierra Leone, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, members of the diplomatic corps, senior government officials, academics, development partners and other distinguished guests.
The event 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 lasting bilateral relations between Nigeria and The Gambia.
