PS Dampha Receives Student Delegation From Nigeria Defence College

By Mariatou Ngum

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MoTIE) on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, received at the Ministry’s conference room, a delegation from the Nigeria Defence College course 31 students.

The delegation is currently in The Gambia on a study tour centered on the theme; “Livestock Production and National Development in The Gambia; Lessons for Nigeria” as well as “Democracy and National Development”.

The mission, composed of officials from Nigeria’s National Defense College, has a focus on Livestock Production and National Development.

In welcoming the delegation, PS Dampha expressed gratitude on behalf of the Ministry for their visit to The Gambia. He acknowledged the longstanding relationship between The Gambia and Nigeria while emphasizing the importance of security in national development, particularly in facilitating trade. 

The Permanent Secretary provided an example of the negative impact of political instability in the sub-region on trade. In addition, he highlighted the Ministry’s mandates which include trade promotion and facilitation, industrial development, employment creation, and promoting and facilitating regional integration.

Brigadier General Oluremi Olawale Obolo, the leader of the delegation thanked the Ministry through the Permanent Secretary for the warm welcome accorded them.

At the end of the visit, Col. Ma Kana delivered the vote of thanks.

About National Defence College

The National Defence College is the apex military training institution for the Nigerian Armed Forces and a Centre of Excellence for peace support operations training at the strategic level in West Africa. It was established in 1992 as the highest military institution for the training of senior military officers in Nigeria.

Since the Nigerian Armed Forces had long established a strong tri-service military training heritage with the establishment of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, for cadet training, and the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, for middle-level staff training, it was appropriate and cost-effective to continue the tradition by establishing the new strategic level military institution, the National Defence College, on a tri-service basis.