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FG Deploys New Batch of Volunteers to The Gambia
FG Deploys New Batch of Volunteers to The Gambia
By: Michael Mike
A new batch of volunteers of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps has been deployed to The Gambia.
The 11 Volunteers, who comprised professionals from diverse backgrounds, including Law, Engineering and expertise in Entrepreneurial Studies, were urged to see their new charge as a call to serve humanity.
Speaking during the Pre-departure Orientation for the Volunteers, Director General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, Rt.Hon.Yusuf Buba Yakub, congratulated the Volunteers on being among the very few beneficiaries of the 37-year-old Scheme chosen from a long list of over 10,000 applicants when the agency advertised late last year.
Buba also called on the Volunteers to embody the values of integrity and simplicity and to portray Nigeria in positive light as Technical Diplomats in the recipient country. He highlighted that Nigeria’s approach to international relations is based on soft diplomacy, contrasting it with other nations that might rely on coercion.
He said: “You are called Volunteers because you are going out there to serve humanity in The Gambia.Even if it is half a room that you are given to live in,please, accept it and commit to what you have been sent to do there.Always bear in mind that you are there to represent Nigeria.
“On behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,we are sending you to share with our sister African nation the abundant human resources our country possesses.
“As your parents here,the Nigerian High Commission in The Gambia with our High Commissioner there will be your guardian.”
While admonishing the Volunteers to see themselves not as individuals,but as Nigeria itself,the TAC DG said whatever the Volunteers do in their host country would be seen as the action of the country,hence the need to always stay above board.
He also added that the Scheme, which was established in 1987 through the visionary minds of our past leaders was one important instrument of Diplomacy by which Nigeria has continued to make friends and carve partnerships across the world.Such friendships and partnerships,he said, usually come handy in periods of expediency.
Buba also used the occasion to inform of the recent visit of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of The Gambia,Mr Dawuda Jawara,who used the opportunity to identify some of the skills that are lacking in their country and requested TAC to rise in filling those gaps identified.He then challenged the Volunteers to do all that was considered necessary to rise up to the situation at hand in that country.
Earlier,while presenting the Volunteers to the TAC DG,Director of Programmes at the Agency,Amb.Zakari Usman,tasked the Volunteers to carry high the flag of the country like other participants in the Scheme before them.He said it was by doing so that the objectives of the Scheme would be adequately realized.He encouraged the Volunteers to also adhere to the dos and don’ts of the TAC Scheme,adding that this would only be possible if they upheld the highest standards of conduct and integrity while representing the country abroad.
Team Lead of the batch of Volunteers, Oyetunji Akinlabi, a Professor of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, thanked the Federal Government for the opportunity given to the Volunteers to serve their country. He pledged that, in line with Section 19 of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended), the Volunteers will strive to promote the nation’s national interest and also at all times seek to engage in activities that are geared towards the promotion and preservation of African unity.
Among those who spoke for the Volunteers were Dr. Hope Tebira, a Deputy Director and Legal Draftsperson at the National Assembly, and Barr.Joseph Okete. They each pledged to ensure that the nationals of their host country received more than what they had requested from Nigeria.
The new batch of Volunteers will serve for 24 months in the Gambia in line with the statutory terms of engagement with the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC).
FG Deploys New Batch of Volunteers to The Gambia
News
UNHCR Boosts IDP Empowerment with Donation of Soap-Making Machines and Office Furniture to Borno State Ministry of Education
UNHCR Boosts IDP Empowerment with Donation of Soap-Making Machines and Office Furniture to Borno State Ministry of Education
By: Our Reporter
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has donated soap-making machines and office furniture to the Borno State Government as part of its efforts to empower Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) through vocational training and livelihood support.
The Honourable Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, received the items during an official handover ceremony at the UNHCR Sub-Office in Maiduguri.
The donation, which includes two sets of soap-making machines equipped with mixers, crushers, driers, extruders, and tables, as well as 30 chairs and office furniture to replace items damaged by recent floods, reflects UNHCR’s commitment to supporting sustainable development in crisis-affected areas.
Speaking during the event, the Head of the UNHCR Sub-Office in Maiduguri, Nicholas Kaburaburyo, emphasized the organization’s dedication to strengthening partnerships with the government and the Ministry of Education. He highlighted UNHCR’s role in facilitating the repatriation, resettlement, and livelihood reintegration of returnees, particularly through vocational training programs.
Engr. Wakilbe commended UNHCR for its unwavering support, noting that the donation aligns with the state government’s resettlement and empowerment initiatives. He revealed that nine Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centers in Borno are actively training IDPs, with the vision of transforming the state into a hub for skilled artisans.
The Commissioner also directed the Director of Science and Technology to commence training for master trainers at the Borno State Vocational Enterprise Institute (BOSVEI) in Muna, with the goal of launching the IDP training program by January 2025.
Zakaria Ahmed, Coordinator of BOSVEI Muna, and Ali Musa, Director of Administration and Supplies in the Ministry of Education, expressed their gratitude to UNHCR. They acknowledged that the donation would significantly enhance vocational training opportunities for IDPs and improve working conditions within the ministry.
This initiative underscores UNHCR’s commitment to providing humanitarian assistance and fostering sustainable development in Borno State. Through such efforts, the organization continues to make a tangible difference in the lives of those most affected by conflict and disaster.
UNHCR Boosts IDP Empowerment with Donation of Soap-Making Machines and Office Furniture to Borno State Ministry of Education
CP Plateau engage stakeholders in Bokkos council area to address recent threats to the peace
By: Bodunrin Kayode
The Plateau State Commissioner of Police, CP Emmanuel Adesina, recently visited Bokkos council Area to engage with stakeholders, discuss peace building strategies and find possible ways to eliminate all threats to peace and security in the area.
The meeting which was attended by council Chairman, Amalau Samuel and his Management Team, as well as Community/Religious Leaders, Youth/Women Leaders, and Security Help Groups arrived at silent resolutions for the peace to remain intact during the yuletide period.
A statement from the police spokesman Alfred Alabo stated that during the meeting, discussions focused on salient issues such as the incessant attacks, farmer/herder clashes, and cattle/animal rustling in the council area.
The release noted that the stakeholders expressed their concerns over the rising levels of insecurity within the area even as they pleaded with the Commissioner of Police to help them ensure peace and calmness within the area.
The stake holders also pledged their support and cooperation to the Police in their efforts to enhance security and ensure the safety of residents in Bokkos area.
“They also agreed to work together through intelligence sharing, to identify and address the root causes of the security challenges facing some communities in the LGA.
“CP Adesina assured the stakeholders of his Command’s commitment to addressing the security challenges in Bokkos council area emphasizing the need for collaboration and information sharing between the Police and the community, to effectively combat crime and maintain peace in the area.
“He further assured them that efforts are being made to deploy additional manpower and logistics to major flashpoints within the area, to forestall any future threats.
“Chairman, Amalau Samuel while responding thanked the CP for his unflinching commitment towards attending to their needs and ensuring that Bokkos council area is peaceful and safe for all to live in.
“He assured the CP that the council Area under his watch will continue to support the Police, untill all criminal elements are flushed out.
“The chair warned all those who intend to cause mayhem especially during this festive period, to desist from such plans, as his administration will not fold it’s hand and watch them destroy the fragile peace currently being enjoyed.
“The Plateau State Police Command remains dedicated to its mandate of protecting lives and property in the state.” Noted the release.
CP Plateau engage stakeholders in Bokkos council area to address recent threats to the peace
15 Boko Haram Fighters Killed in Fierce Supremacy Battle with ISWAP in Tumbum Kare
By: Zagazola Makama
A deadly clash of supremacy between rival terrorist factions has claimed the lives of 15 Boko Haram fighters, with five Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) members sustaining injuries.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the confrontation occurred when ISWAP launched a coordinated attack on Boko Haram fighters loyal to the Bakura Buduma faction.
The assault, aimed at asserting dominance, led to significant losses on the Boko Haram side, with ISWAP fighters seizing an undisclosed number of weapons during the confrontation.
The incident marks the latest in a series of violent infightings between the two groups, which have been engaged in a bitter rivalry over resources, territorial control, and influence in the Lake Chad region.
Sources said that the clashes have intensified in recent months as both groups seek to expand their foothold in the area with the Boko Haram faction already gaining upper hand against the ISWAP.
15 Boko Haram Fighters Killed in Fierce Supremacy Battle with ISWAP in Tumbum Kare
UNHCR Boosts IDP Empowerment with Donation of Soap-Making Machines and Office Furniture to Borno State Ministry of Education
CP Plateau engage stakeholders in Bokkos council area to address recent threats to the peace
15 Boko Haram Fighters Killed in Fierce Supremacy Battle with ISWAP in Tumbum Kare
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