My ministry will establish National Sports Award – Minister

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, has said that the ministry would collaborate with the stakeholders for effective Nigerian youths development and  push for establishment and institutionalization of the Nigerian National Youth and Sports Award.


He said this in a keynote address at the launch of the 2019 Future Awards Africa in Abuja.


Dare said the awards, which would become operational in 2020, would motivate Nigerian youths and encourage them to embrace hard work, healthy work ethics and community development.


”Recently, the National Council on Youth Development adopted and approved the observance of a National Youth Day for Nigerian youths to commemorate and celebrate their achievements and contributions to the nation’s development.


”During the 2019 International Youth Day celebration, I made a commitment to get the necessary Federal Executive Council approvals as well as the legislation to actualise this.


“Further to this, we will push for the establishment and institutionalization of the Nigerian national youth and sports award, which we hope will commence in 2020.


“The award seeks to recognise and honour youths who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of youths and sports development,” Dare said.


He said the idea was to help project national icons that would inspire their peers and also motivate and breed patriotism among them.


He noted that awards, as recognition, had the potential to motivate people to excel in what they do.


“Reward and recognition are some of the primary needs of man and it is the key to human or personal fulfillment.


“When persons are recognised and rewarded for their accomplishments, they feel a sense of fulfillment, which remains with them and continues to inspire them to achieve more.


“It also impacts on those around them, who are inspired to strive towards success and excellence.


“This is hugely important because today, Nigeria, like many nations, is grappling with issues such as insecurity, corruption, disorientation


“These are traceable to breakdown or total loss of societal values as well as a lack of a coordinated and structured reward system,” Dare said.