The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (TAC) was established in 1987 and given a legal foundation by decree No.27, signed by General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, in his capacity as President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on 22nd January, 1993.
The decree, in its Article 3(1) of part1, also set up a Governing Body for the TAC, known as the 'Directorate of Technical Aid Corps'. It was established as an ''integral part of the ministry of Foreign Affairs''.Thus, the TAC, which the Decree refers to as the Corps, as well as the Directorate, are not at all autonomous.
They constitute a sort of parastatals of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.As provided in the decree, the Directorate shall consist of the Director of the Directorate, who must be a fit person and who shall be the chairman, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and five other nominnees of Mr. President.All the members of the Directorate are to hold office for four years and are eligible for re-appointment for one further period of four years.As for the Director,he is both the Chairman and the CEO of the Directorate. His appointment is political.He is appointed by the President and holds office for a period of five years. He is eligible for re-appointment for one further period of five years. He is assisted by employees who are public officers, pensionable or not.
As provided in the Article 21 of the Decree, there are four original objectives for setting up the Corps:
1.To share Nigerian's know-how and expertise with other African, carribean and Pacific countries;
2.To give assistance on the basis of the assessed and perceived needs of the recipient countries;
3.To promote cooperation and understanding between Nigeria and the recipient countries; and
4.To facilitate meaningful contacts between the youths of Nigeria and the recipient countries
Other Objectives:
5.Minimizing cash gifts which are invariably misused by leaders of some of the recipient counties;
6.Ensuring that the aid provided goes to the people who need it;
7.Creating a good image for Nigeria among the populace of the recipient countries;
8.Ensuring that part of the money meant for foreign assistance is ploughed back into the Nigerian economy;
9.Creating employment opportunities for Nigerian youths;
10.Exposing Nigerian youths to happenings elsewhere- new ideas;
11.Acting as Nigerian ambassadors in countries where Nigerian embassy do not exist, and
12.Acting as a channel of enhancing south-south cooperation.
Over 2000 voluunteers have served in more than 27 ACP countries since its inception 23 years ago. The programme has over the years demostrated its values as an effective instrument of south- south cooperation. It involves deployment of highly experienced Nigerian professionals( the volunteers) in the fields of medicine, education, engineering, agriculture, accounting and other related fields to ACP countries for a period of 2 years.
