ABUJA (SUNDIATA POST)- Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) says Nigeria has been deploying its human capital resources to African Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) countries to bridge both professional and educational gaps for more than 37 years.
The Director-General of NTAC, Dr Yusuf Yakub, disclosed this at the deployment exercise of 17 Nigeria Technical Aid Corps (TAC) volunteers who are professionals in various fields in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the volunteers were deployed to Guinea Bissau to render their services to humanity.
Yakub described human capital as one of Nigeria resources which was in abundance, remained the reason behind Nigerian foreign policy which was the soft power diplomacy had been in existence for more than 37 years.
“Nigeria has been deploying her foreign policy close to four decade to African, Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) countries to bridge both the professional and educational gaps in these countries,” NTAC boss said.
According to him that, President Bola Tinubu has directed that we deploy you to Guinea Bissau, so as to fulfill one of our key component of our foreign policy initiative.
“You’re going to Guinea Bissau as volunteers to serve humanity, this programme has been in existence since 1987, and it is a very important programme in the life of our dear country Nigeria.
“Like I always say, some countries use coercion to influence or take control of other countries or have influence on other countries, but in Nigeria, we have decided to use the soft power diplomacy to reach out to our fellow brothers and sister in the ACP countries.
“The world today, you cannot live in isolation, you must make friend as it is popularly known that the world today is a global village, and for you to make friends, you have to share.
“One of the things we have in abundance apart from others resources is the human capital resources, well trained, discipline and committed in our dear country and we think is good to share it with our brothers and sisters,’’ he said.
Yakub urged the volunteers to be the best at what they do by projecting Nigeria’s qualities in their host community.
He called on Nigerian youths to desist from the proposed nationwide protest, saying that it would affect the nation’s economy.
He urged on Nigerians to support President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda which was a transformative policy thrust aimed at repositioning Nigeria as a prime global investment destination.
Speaking to NAN, some of the volunteers applauded Federal Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for giving them the opportunity and sustaining the deployment programme to the ACP countries for the past 37 years.
Dr Mansur Ramalan, who led the volunteers team to Guinea Bissau, said that they were committed to serve Nigeria by volunteering their experts’ skills to a country in need of their services.
“We will conduct ourselves in an appropriate manner that reflects the desires of TAC and also to dedicate our time by giving our best to the deserving community.
“We are also happy to be selected out of the pull of entries sent in to serve Nigeria in our host community, ‘’ he said
Ms Edidiong Michael, a Staff with Federal Medical Centre Yenegoa, Bayelsa said, “I am proud and glad to be here to serve my country Nigeria, to go out there and save lives, because in my profession as a nurse, the main aim is to save lives.”(NAN)
