Four Nigerian professors specializing in engineering are set to assume prominent positions at the University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (USET) in The Gambia. This follows the submission of a report by a task force established by The Gambia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology, alongside USET’s Governing Council.
The Gambian Ministry has requested official endorsement from Nigerian authorities for the appointments. A letter was addressed to the Nigerian Mission in Kanifing and copied to Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, Director General of Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps (NTAC). The letter was received in Abuja last Friday.
The selected professors, part of the NTAC scheme, will fill key roles left by the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Owusu-Ofori, whose tenure ends on September 30. The appointees include Prof. Nazmat Surajudeen-Bakinde as Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ado Yusuf Abdulfatah as Vice Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Akinlabi Oyetunji as Director of Research and Grants, and Prof. David Terfa Gundu as Director of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance.
In a statement issued by Nkem Anyata-Lafia, Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the NTAC Director General, the deployment of these volunteer professors earlier this year was part of Nigeria’s 24-month Technical Aid Corps scheme, aimed at providing technical expertise to The Gambia.
This appointment marks another milestone in the strong educational and technical cooperation between Nigeria and The Gambia, with the latter being one of the largest beneficiaries of Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps, receiving over 12,000 Nigerian volunteers since 1987.
