The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, on Thursday in Abuja reiterated the government’s support for empowerment programmes for youths to be self-reliant and useful to society.
Dare, while speaking at the 2021 Emerging Leaders Conference, said the Muhammadu Buhari administration also supports active youths and women participation in leadership, governance, policy formulation and implementation.
“The present administration supports and ensures the emergence of vibrant, competent and excellent leaders at all levels to reflect Nigeria’s status as the giant of Africa,” he said.
The minister noted that the ministry in its own way of positioning the youths for the future has introduced the Nigeria Youth Investor’s Fund (NYIF).
“The NYIF is to serve as a sort of youths bank which will fund and support the innovative ideas, skills, talents and enterprise of the Nigerian youth.”
In his speech at the event, Rev Yakubu Pam, the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), commended the Nigerian youths and their dreams.
Pam advised all emerging leaders to act and have the fear of God in order to arrive at their destination.
He disclosed that he would encourage and participate in all Emerging Leaders activities if they continued as people with vision.
“The youths should be proud of Nigeria by doing the right thing and passing it on. The youths should be the solution to bigger problems in Nigeria,” the NCPC Executive Secretary said.
In his speech, the Chairman of the event, Mr Abraham Nda-Isaiah, said youths should be passionate about effecting the change the country desires just as they are passionate about football.
Nda-Isaiah who is also the Chairman Board of Trustees, The Nigeria Project Ambassadors Initiative, said to affect the needed change, fairness, hard work and love have to prevail over corruption and social vices.
Other special guests of honour who spoke at the event included the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, and the Women Affairs Minister Mrs Pauline Tallen.
They noted that their respective ministries had active programmes on the “out of school” youth initiative and they have made education free for all for such youths.
Issues of gender equality, girl-child education, drug abuse, rape and maternal mortality were being tackled.
Convener of the event, Mr Jeremiah Agala, expressed happiness at its success and promised to ensure the right things are done and further encouraged by orientating the youths.
Agala said the initiative’s objectives were to galvanise for a cohesive, united Nigeria nation, devoid of ethnic, religious and political affiliation.
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Our correspondent report that various categories of awards were presented, including awards of excellence and nation-building.
Also, certificates of recognition, appreciation and that of attendance were presented to special dignitaries.
The event was organised by The Nigerian Project Ambassadors Initiative, with the theme “The Nigerian Youth: Positioning for the future”.
