By Maureen Okon
Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation has lauded President Bola Tinubu on the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (TAC) scheme, describing it as a noble platform for the promotion of Pan-Africanism.
This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Nkem Anyata-Lafia, the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Dr Yusuf Yakub, the Director-General (DG) of Technical Aid Corps in Africa (DTAC).
The News Agency of Nigeria reports in Abuja that the DTAC boss and some senior staff embarked on a four-day Administrative, Monitoring and Evaluation exercise in four countries in East Africa.
Also, the team will monitor the TAC volunteers in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Seychelles.
Anyata-Lafia said that the Minister of State, Mr James Kabarebe, said this in Kigali when the ministry received the delegation of DTAC led by Dr Yakub.
He also commended Tinubu’s administration for the big brother approach.
Anyata-Lafia also extolled Tinubu’s gesture for continuing to advance the course of development through technology transfer,skills acquisition and scholarship for African people.
Kabarebe said that, although Nigeria, like other nations of the world had its own challenges, its commitment to the leadership and development of Africa and some parts of the globe through soft-power diplomacy remained laudable and worthy of emulation.
He said that Nigeria has continued to use its huge population, size and early advancement in matters of education to benefit all parts of Africa.
The minister reminisced the positive inspiration projected by writers such as, Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka and Cyprian Ekwensi, among many others.
Kabarebe said, “These were not only an instrument of soft power that sold Nigeria to the world, but was all that Nigeria needed to stamp its authority as a global super player in world affairs.
Furthermore, he highlighted the huge gap that existed between other countries of Africa and their goals, adding that TAC deserves Africa’s support.
The minister promised that the ministry would leverage on the existing cordial relations between Rwanda and Nigeria to strengthen their co-operation through the scheme.
Speaking earlier, Yakub said that the delegation were in Rwanda to monitor, evaluate and as well to review the activities of the TAC volunteer scheme in its recipient countries and among the volunteers.
He added that the visit was also aimed at providing him the opportunity to meet and familiarise with State officials and other stakeholders in the TAC scheme across parts of Africa after been appointed to head the agency by Tinubu.
The DTAC delegation also met with the Minister of State for Education, Ms Claudette Irere, Nigeria’s High Commissioner of Nigeria in Kigali, Amb.
Suleiman Sani and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Finance), University of Rwanda,Ms Francoise Kayitore.
They also visited the remaining volunteer of the TAC scheme at the University of Rwanda, Dr Nasiru Sani, a Health Information and Community Medicine expert, among others.
The DTAC team comprised Yakub, the Director of Programmes, Amb.
Mohammed Mohammed, acting Director,Finance and Accounts, Mr Idris Saidu and Mrs Rahila Ayuba-Kaura, acting Director, Monitoring and Evaluation.
(www.
nannews.
ng)
Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani
