AUST, Others Celebrate DTCA’s NTCF @ 10
Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa
To mark the occasion, “NTCF @10”, DTCA organized a one-day symposium with the theme “Nigeria technical cooperation fund(NTCF):A reference point for Africa’s sustainable development and integration”
The event took place on Tuesday, 1st August ,2017 at the auditorium of the ECOWAS parliament building, Central Business District(CBD), Abuja.
AUST, was represented at the event by Professor Charles Ejikeme Chidume,Vice President, Academic, who stood in for the President of the university,Professor Kingston Nyamapfene.
Chidume, narrated how helpful the NTCF has been to AUST students, especially in supporting their research, where AUST is currently leading the way.
According to him “”DTCA visited AUST for the first time when I was the Acting President of AUST and when Engineer Dr. Sule Yakubu Bassi was the Director General of DTCA and, since then, DTCA through the NTCF, has awarded scholarships to qualified and deserving students from Sierra Leone, Liberia, Malawi etc to mention but few”
While thanking the Nigerian government for this laudable initiative, he, however, appealed to other heads of government in Africa to support Nigeria in the sustenance of the NTCF program.
Earlier, in her key note address, Hon. Khadija Bukar A. Ibrahim, honorable Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja and Chairperson of the presidential inter-ministerial committee on the DTCA, said that DTCA has gone a long way in its quest for landmark achievements in the last 10 years.
This, according to the minister, was possible by partnering with countries in West Africa to ensure the success of the technical cooperation which is in line with the united nations charter on inter-country cooperation.
While expressing her appreciation to all who contributed in no small measure to the success story recorded so far, she appealed to the AfDB, captains of industry and other financial institutions for more financial support.
The event attracted the following dignitaries; Mr. Ebrima Faal, who represented Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the, AfDB; Dr. Aliyu Ahmed, representative of Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Minister for Finance; His Excellency, Amb. Al-Hassan Conteh,the Liberian Ambassador to Nigeria; Professor Muhammed Maiturare, Vice Chancellor, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida University (IBBU), Minna; Eng. Dr. Sule Yakubu Bassi, pioneer Director General, DTCA; Mr. Muhammed Kachalla, Acting Director General at DTCA, amongst others too numerous to mention.
It is noteworthy that the NTCF, which was established in 2004, had considered one hundred and twenty three (123) projects out of which, sixty nine (69) were approved, twenty four (24) fully concluded and completion reports received, while the rest were at various stages of implementation.
All fifty four (54) African countries have benefited either directly or indirectly from projects/programs implemented under the NTCF in the following areas: Science and Technology, Agriculture, Education, Gender Issues, Health, Business and Finance.