The Federal Government has commended the visionary efforts and noble objectives of The  Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award ( ‘the award’)    to equip and impact the youths with the spirit of excellence and confidence that would enhance their capacity for creativity, leadership, skills acquisition thereby improving  their employability and sustainable livelihoods. These core values are the pivotal  pillars that formed the  policies and initiatives  recently launched by  the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to promote and build  the capacity of Nigerian Youths for self-reliance, skills acquisition and internships in corporate organizations.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare stated this during the Gold Award Presentation Ceremony  that was  graced by  HRH  Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO, today at the MKO National Stadium office  of the Minister.

While assuring that the Gold Award presentation Ceremony celebrates the Nigerian youths that is resilient and focused, the Minister stated that indeed the 14 Nigerian  Gold recipients ( male and female)  under the auspices of  its Nigerian chapter – The International Award for Young People Nigeria (IAYPN) with their testimonies have truly imbibed excellence and confidence in all their assigned tasks: saying  ” positive qualities of Nigerian youths being further amplified by this award.

Mr Dare seized the opportunity of the occasion to explain  that the noble goals and objective of the International Award strikes similar chords in the priority plan and deliberate aspirations  of the  Nigerian Government  through the Ministry to equip and train our youths in digital skills acquisition through its Digital Education Entrepreneurship and Leadership mentoring programme called D.E.E.L. ; and its Work Experience Programme – W.E.P- that is meant to improve the employability of the youths via a 3 months internship in corporate organizations. To this end, the Minister commended ‘the award’ – which birthed its Nigerian Chapter for its vision of equipping  young people aged between 14 to 24 for life with priceless values, that would benefit the society and for which the Federal Ministry of Youth &  Sports Development cherished as well as it implements its programmes for the youth.

On this note, the Minister stated that the Ministry aspires to partner with ‘the award’ to involve more Corpers: he said ‘ the Ministry will, going forward partner the award organizers to involve more Corpers in Nigeria, a good target for this programme; our youths need opportunities to build confidence, set goals and targets  for themselves.

Speaking extempore, HRH  Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, who is the chairman, Board of Trustees of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, commended the awardees, charging them to be proud of what they have  achieved. He noted that these enviable youths are the pioneers of the award in Nigeria, stressing, the  award operates in over 130 countries and territories , and it goes by different names. He commended the Nigerian Government and the Ministry for their support to ‘ the award’.

The Chairman of the International Award for Young People In Nigeria ( IAYPN), Mr Olawale Edun, congratulated the awardees for their achievements; and admonished the 14 awardees to be steadfast and maintain the noble ideals of the training they have acquired over time at different levels of Bronze, Silver and Gold covering diverse activities .

Aside the testimonies of some of the awardees which is the high point of the ceremony, eminent personalities that graced the occasion included the British High Commissioner to Nigeria,  Mrs.  Katrina Laing; Director- General, National Youth Service Corps, Brig.General Shaibu Ibrahim, Directors of the Ministry and guardians of the Gold recipients.