The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) says Jamaica is seeking 400 Nigerian professionals to work, with a 100 per cent salary to bridge the manpower gap in the North American country.

“The Jamaican government is now asking for 400 workers from Nigeria, and they are ready to pay 100 per cent salary,” said Yusuf Yakub, NTAC’s director-general, on Tuesday in Abuja during a deployment exercise for 16 TAC volunteers.

The 16 volunteers would be deployed to the Republic of Benin and Rwanda.

He said this is to fulfil Nigeria’s “big brother” role to Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) countries and strengthen diplomatic and cultural ties.

According to Mr Yakub, it is also to fulfil the mandate of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is hinged on the core pillars of democracy, development, demographic and diaspora engagement.

“We make sure that the mandate of the president is carried out any time these countries come asking for support to fill both the professional and educational gaps.

“Going forward, NTAC will not only be sending out volunteers on a humanitarian basis. There are countries that want to pay for workers from Nigeria in a dignified and organised way,” said Mr Yakub.

Mr Yakub said NTAC was transforming to become a revenue generating agency for the country, adding that it is a big achievement.

Jafaru Usman, an engineer from the University of Maiduguri and the team lead of the new batch of volunteers, said he was glad to participate in the programme.

Mr Usman lauded NTAC for allowing him and the other volunteers to render their services to humanity.

NTAC is a federal government agency saddled with the responsibility of providing technical assistance to other developing countries.

Since its establishment in 1987, the corps has deployed over 10,000 volunteers to ACP countries and multilateral institutions worldwide.

(NAN)