Featured

NSC Not The best For Nigerian Sports-Minister

Published

6 years ago

April 19, 2019

Joel Ajayi

Minister of Youth and Sports Barr Solomon Dalung has revealed that he will not recommend coming back of National Sports commission NSC, saying the burden the commission brought is huge.

Dalung said this in Abuja when Sports Online Publisher Association of Nigeria paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

He said: “If I have my way, I will not recommend coming back of NSC into Nigerian sports sector. The burden the commission put on the ministry is enormous and its not good for the growth and development of the sector.

“Most of our federation’s vehicle have been taken away, many of the generators has been taken away. As I speaks to you I have inherited N720 million staff claimed,

Last week I was served another court judgment.

“From my experience and understanding of NSC legacy I don’t think Sports commission is the best for Nigeria.”

Apart from aboved reason, minuster also revealed that he was not the one that scrapped the commission but an administrative technical committee established by the office of the Head of Service at a time the Federal Government was looking at the direction of merging some ministries and agencies of the government.

“based on the report of the committee , which showed that any public servant appointed as the Director General of the NSC will develop a larger than life status in the commission, where in some occasions the DG of the Commission was more powerful than the Permanent. Secretary of the Ministry, which negates the rules of the civil service in the country, the committee therefore recommended that NSC should be scrapped.

“National Sports Commission (NSC), was scrapped by an administrative technical committee set up by the Office of the Head of Service. It was the time of the merger of Ministries and reduction of government agencies.

“The Committee had civil servants, the bureaucrats that were invited and the affected parastatals were invited to defend themselves. NSC lost the battle before panel. They lost the battle because too bureaucratic machinery sees the concept of office of the Director General not in line with the civil service tradition.

“Moreso, once a civil servant is appointed as Director General, he becomes autonomous and very powerful, even more powerful than the Permanent Secretary. So power feud was within the system and that also led to the scrap

So, the technical committee could not determine between the Director General and Permanent Secretary, who was going to be the boss of the ministry. Moreso, previous DG’s of NSC were so powerful that sometimes they sacked Ministers.

Share on Facebook

Featured

Olawande’s 21st Century Skills initiative, A Move Towards Re-fertilization Of Nigerian Youths

Published

1 day ago

November 6, 2024

The Gleamer

By Joel Ajayi

Transforming the Nigeria youths to equip the current and future generations with 21st century skills is important. The Africa and National Youth Day 2024 is therefore a historic moment to put a need 21st century skills at the forefront toward the the growth and development of all.

Nigeria as a nation has made meaningful progress in education over the past 60 years, with more girls in school and more students in Higher education system than ever before.

Reports showed that School completion rates have increased from 2000 to 2022 at all levels.

Still, these gains are insufficient to prepare Nigerians youth for the 21st century and its fast-changing professional landscape. By 2030, roughly 60 million jobs iin Nigeria and 230 million in Africa will demand digital skills. Classroom practices must shift to meet these future employability needs and nurture creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving.

Nigeria recorded the largest population of young people in the continent of Africa that means a 21st century skills is critical to to equip the current and future generations.

Based on this, Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande who has been promoter and advocate of digital skiill even before he became Minister has once again initiate digital literacy programmes, technical skills empowerment and leadership insight and urged young people to actively develop and adopt crucial 21st-century skills to effectively combat the rising issue of unemployment.

When he was Minister Youth for State, he introducing the Youth Development Fund to support young entrepreneurs, implementing the Youth Empowerment Program, training over 10,000 young people in vocational skills, establishing the Youth Mentorship Initiative, pairing young people with experienced professionals, and developing the National Youth Policy, providing a framework for youth development.

He also initiated the “One Youth One Ward” initiative to tackle drug abuse, established the Youth Innovation Hub, hosted the National Youth Conference, rolled out the Youth Volunteer Program, fostered partnerships with private sector organizations amongst others.

He has implement innovative programs, foster strategic partnerships, and demonstrated unwavering commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunities.

Now Minister of Youth without doubt has been at the forefront of this journey, demonstrating unwavering dedication to empowering Nigerians youth even from his school days.

Comrade Ayodele Olawande made this appeal today in Abuja during the Africa and National Youth Day Celebration with the theme : ‘ Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century’ and sub-theme: ‘Building a Resilient Education System: A New Hope for Nigerian Youth’,

He said such skills like critical thinking, digital literacy, and effective communications are essential tools for navigating the increasingly competitive job markets.

Olawande strongly advocated for the youth of Nigeria to prioritize the investment of their time and put efforts in developing a diverse range of essential skills and competencies by actively engaging in the pursuit that can significantly enhance their employability that will make them attractive candidates before their potential employers.

According to the Minister, “acquiring these skills will equip youth to confidently navigate the complexities and demands of an increasingly competitive job market, where adaptability and innovation are crucial. This proactive approach plays a vital role in addressing the rising unemployment crisis that has been affecting many young Nigerians today.”

“Through dedicated skill development, they can not only improve their job prospects but also lay the groundwork for sustainable career growth and success in the long run. In this rapidly evolving economic landscape, embracing continuous learning and professional development is not just beneficial; it is essential for achieving one’s career aspirations,” he explained.

The Minister further explained that the theme, “Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century,” serves as a powerful endorsement of the One Youth Two Skills initiative, adding that it will foster practical skills alongside formal education.

Olawande stated : “This initiative aims to empower youth and create sustainable employment opportunities. Ultimately, the initiative is a key component of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to eliminate unemployment and promote economic growth across the continent”.

In his paper presentation, Professor Ahmed Adamu, a lecturer at Nile University, Abuja, stated that by next year, 85 million jobs will be lost due to technological advancements, while 97 million new jobs are expected to be created.

Professor Adamu stressed that the future job market will heavily favour those individuals who proactively seek to acquire new skills and adapt to the evolving technological landscape.

Adamu said that for one to go far in whatever they are doing, they must be self-disciplined, duly intelligent and have the consistency in learning.

However, the minister of Youth led the teaming youths on a road walk from the Ministry to BMO Event Centre to Celebrate Africa and National Youth Day.

Share on Facebook