Highlighting Chief Sunday Dare's Four-year Tenure As Minister of Youths & Sports By Gbenga Gboyega

Highlighting Chief Sunday Dare's Four-year Tenure As Minister of Youths & Sports

By Gbenga Gboyega

As Chief Sunday Dare hands over the mantle of presiding over the Youth and Sports Ministry, following the end of his four-year tenure, BSNSports.com.ng highlights key achievements of the former Minister.

After assuming office in 2019 under the regime of the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria - H. E. Muhammadu Buhari, Sunday Dare set the ground rolling by laying down objectives to meet, and challenges to tackle.

Recall that the 57-year-old held the position of the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) four years prior when he received the appointment under the same Buhari-led government back in August 2016.

Dare utilized his expertise in media, communication, and strategy to outline developmental programs and infrastructural improvements in both Nigerian Sports and Youth development.

In 2020, he established and secured a ₦75 billion Nigeria Youth Investment Fund, which benefited over 28,000 youths across the nation. Also, he established a 3-month Work Employment Program, which trained over 340,000 youths in various digital skills.

One such was the DEEL Initiative, which covered Digital skills acquisition, Employability, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership Mentoring, and secured over 350,000 applications.

It is also worthy of note that during Dare's tenure, the National Youth Service Corps experienced a paradigm shift, both in welfare and remuneration. The NYSC scheme secured new kits, increased camp and feeding allowances, and also increase in minimum salary from ₦19,000 to ₦33,000 per Corps member.

In 2021, Dare hosted the first-ever National Youth Conference in Abuja and later hosted the first-ever Commonwealth Youth and African Summit, with 18 Commonwealth countries in attendance.

International relations wasn't left out of the array of achievements, as Dare also secured bilateral agreements with close to seven countries, regarding grassroots and youth development.

In 2022, the Federal Budget appropriated allocation for Nigerian Students (NANS) with a subhead, for the first time in the country's democratic history, which saw more investment into the physical education sector.

With winners being produced yearly in APP challenges organized for youths digitally, providing a skills data bank for youths, and establishing the Centre for Leadership Training (CLTC) which accommodated about 42,000 participants, Dare's achievements over the last four years are well-documented in the sands of time.

According to Wikipedia, Dare was recognized as one of the 50 Leading Nigerians during Nigeria's Golden Jubilee anniversary celebration in North America, while also emerging as the winner of the Voice of "America Meritorious Honor Award 2009" in recognition of "his sterling leadership and professional contributions in Africa and diaspora".

Additionally, Dare was listed as a member of the International Committee to Protect Journalists Citation in 2000 in New York City.

While Nigerian Sports fans exercise patience for the next administration to appoint a new minister to head the Youths and Sports Ministry for the next four years, Chief Sunday Akin Dare can heap a sigh of fulfillment as he takes a back seat.