The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare has declared that the journey to leadership responsibility xfor the country’s youth must start now.
Speaking at the commencement of the 29-day Ambasador Leadership program for youth in Abuja on Monday, 16 November, 2020, the Minister said, “The investments in our youth must begin today. They are leaders in the making. To be leaders today, we must provide them the knowledge and skills to be leaders today…”. Good leaders can only be raised with proper education”.
Dr. Ike Neliaku, Executive Secretary of NPL encouraged the participants to be worthy ambassadors to enable them acquire needed leadership skills in the four week training programme.
Prof Anya O. Anya, Chairman, NPL Governing Board stated that the need for good leadership in nation building birthed the Ambassador Leadership Programme. In line with the theme; Youth Leadership with a Difference, the essence for initiating the Ambassador Leadership Programme (ALP) is to raise and groom a new generation of exceptional leaders, from the six geopolitical zones.
The representative of the Director General of Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC) Malam. Aliyu Musa congratulated the NPL for setting the pace of training leaders, while encouraging participants to be agents of responsible behavior during and after the four weeks training.
Professor Suleiman Bogoro, Executive Secretary TETFund, emphasized the need to build the nation via leadership and mentoring of the youth by creating consciousness of true leadership in their minds.
The Chairman of the Programme Development Committee, NPL, Prof. Vincent Anigbigu stated that NPL Ambassadors are expected to demonstrate skills, knowledge, better attitude and protocols after the training
The Chairman of Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Segun Awolowo Jr. charged them to be ambassadors of good leadership. He also revealed the Zero Oil plan of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council saying “Nigeria must survive in a world in which we sell no more oil”.
Dare encouraged the participants to take time to read through history of past leaders who fought for what the nation enjoys today. He further affirmed that the Ministry hopes to see the programme take place annually, assuring of the Ministry’s total support in pulling it through.
Furthermore, he encouraged CLTC to avail their E-learning platform to NPL for online trainings for more engagement of youth.
The Minister said the youth are about the numbers and whatever initiative aimed at benefiting them, the country must be in a hurry to raise the number.The Ministry is set to take 500,000 youth through digital training for the next two years , just as the establishment of the N75 billion Nigerian Youth Investment Fund is to help support youth entrepreneurs with trainings.
The four weeks training will have the participants certified.