The Federal Government says it will institutionalise a National Youth and Sports Award by 2020 to appreciate patriotism, hard work and discipline.
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, announced this at the launch of the 2019 Future Awards Africa in Abuja.
A statement by Mrs. Blessing Lere-Adams, the Director of Press in the ministry, said the agenda would be pushed for establishment and institutionalisation of the awards.
Dare explained that the award was meant to motivate Nigerian youths and to encourage them to embrace hard work and healthy work ethics, team work and community development.
“Only 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.
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“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 institutionalisation 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 astounding contributions in the areas of youths and sports development,’’ the minister 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.
“Rewards and recognition is one of the primary needs of man. It is key to human or personal fulfilment.
“When persons are recognised and rewarded for their accomplishments, they feel a sense of fulfilment, 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, the root of which is traceable to breakdown or total loss of societal values as well as a lack of a coordinated and structured reward system,” Dare said. (NAN)