The Federal Government has again reaffirmed her commitment at ensuring that talents and potentials from young graduates are harnessed through various empowerment programmes aimed at making our young men and women self-reliant; self-sustaining and indeed self-employed.
The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Sunday Dare, disclosed that young graduates in the country, must avail themselves of opportunities specifically geared towards exposing the youth of Nigeria to digital literacy; entrepreneurship training, employability skills and mentorship for leadership as measures and initiatives put in place by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development for national development.
Mr Dare stated this during the closing ceremony and grand finale of the Annual NYSC Cultural Festival with the theme: Harnessing Youth’s Potentials for Sports and Cultural Development, which is aimed at showcasing the creativity and abundant talents among Corps Members for the overall benefit of host communities and the nation at large.
The Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Gabriel Aduda added that the festival has not only impacted positively on our corporate existence, through the promotion of unity but has also provided avenues for the display and discovery of talents in these young men and women through the various sporting events.
He assured Corps Members that the Ministry will continue to support the NYSC annual sporting event, as he also enjoins sporting bodies, various federations and private sector organisations to support the NYSC towards achieving the goals and objectives of the sport festival.
Mr Sunday Dare appealed to club owners to work closely with the scheme with a view to harnessing the potentials identified in various sporting activities.
In his closing remarks, the Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General, Shuiabu Ibrahim, appreciated the esteemed presence of the Honourable Minister and other distinguished guests at the annual sport festival, adding that the festival, which commenced days ago, featured competitions in football; volleyball and athletics.
He said, ‘’the festival served as a platform for the exposure of the talents of Corps members in the track and field event in addition to further advancing the cause of unity and national integration through interactions of these youths of diverse socio-cultural background’’.
General Ibrahim Shuiabu stressed that, in line with the vision of the founding fathers of the National Youth Service Corps, the competition has further showed great passion not only for the purpose of winning laurels, but more significantly, as a demonstration of Corps members belief in the vision of a more united and prosperous Nigeria.
The Annual NYSC Sports and Cultural Festival is a platform for Corps Members drawn from different states of service to interact, share ideas and further expand the frontiers of friendship and unity among members.
The occasion was witnessed by representatives of Service Chiefs and other top government officials.
Olatunji John
Information Officer
For: Director, Press.
