The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mr Sunday Dare who was in Ile Ife to grace the second edition of Royal award for Distinctive Entrepreneur youths who has excelled in the various field made the declaration at the event where he personally handed out the awards to the winners from all over the country.
Excited by the way exploits and pioneering efforts and achievements of these youth the Minister said the Federal Government through the NYIF scheme will provide accelerated access to each of the Youth awardees in need of a soft loan or build their businesses. He said subject to the Conditions.
This Royal African Youth leadership award is a brainchild of His Royal Majesty, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi. The Minister was at the maiden edition which held at the same Oduduwa Hall of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.
This is the second edition.
While addressing pressmen, The Honourable Minister of said:
“I think my message is the message of President Muhammadu Buhari, consistently he tells me, Minister you must find a way to keep the youth busy and that’s what we’ve been doing trying to keep the youth busy making sure that we support their skills, their careers and their visions.”
Talking about various initiatives he mentioned that the Ministry creates opportunities for youth.
“We create opportunities for them, Talking about the N-Power scheme, three years ago, the President signed Not too young to run bill which opened the windows and the door for our young ones, so many of them are in elective positions right now which was not possible before. Check the last three years. Tomorrow, more than 50% of those that will go in for the primaries for the Local Government Chairmanship and councilorship in Lagos state are below 35, it is a process and it will take time.”
” This same President signed for the first time the establishment of Nigeria Youth Investment Fund, a 75bn fund spread for three years over 5,000 youth have benefited, as long as you apply and meet the conditions, it’s a soft loan, you’ll get your support.”
In conclusion, Mr. Dare said: “This government is focused on creating opportunities and what you have seen here today is a partnership between Government and the Private sector, second year running and I have announced that the 100 people that got the award today will get accelerated approval to be able to source funds from NYIF. It’s a 5% soft loan, two years moratorium, no pressure and I urge the youth to take these opportunities and benefit from them.”
