NYCN seeks national honours for Nigerians promoting youth development

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has said honouring individuals and organisations that make frantic efforts towards youth development would go a long way in encouraging many to do more.

The NYCN in a statement released on Sunday in Abuja and signed by its National President, Comrade Solomon Adodo, said the call became imperative with a view to harmonising all efforts towards youth development.

He explained that a cursory look at some individuals who have demonstrated uncommon commitment towards youth development yet unknown to many will convince government that if such individuals and organisations are recognised by the state, many other Nigerians would follow suit.

“It is with a high sense of responsibility that we recommend the founder and President of Belemaoil Producing Limited, Dr. Jack Rich for a formal national recognition/honour for three strong reasons.

“His totally selfless investment in the Nigerian youths by providing jobs, offering mentorship, sponsoring trainings, empowerment programmes, seminars and foreign exchange programmes.

“He has taking his philanthropy and the corporate social responsibility of Belemaoil Producing Limited to a level unprecedented in our history.

“He has not only within few years of operation beaten the chequered records of foreign oil companies in the Niger-Delta in terms of responding to the needs of host communities, but has also taken it outside the oil producing region of the Niger-Delta.

“Today, he is the Sarkin Ruwa Hausa of Daura, Katsina state and Sarkin Ruwa Akko, Gombe state for dealing with their century-old water challenges. This uncommon unifying philanthropic gesture and corporate social responsibility which is now undertaken on a national scale has also been extended to Bauchi, Sokoto and other states in Nigeria.

“Through the quality utilisation of the opportunity provided to him by President Muhammadu Buhari’s local content promotion, he has opened the door for more responsible local companies to come into the business of oil exploration in Nigeria.

“Had he squandered the opportunity, as was the case in the past, the federal government would not have been energized to create more opportunities,” the statement noted.

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It further explained that the works of Dr. Jack Rich were numerous, but only a few were picked for reference and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to award him a national honour not because he craves for it, but because he deserves it.

The statement also commended President Buhari for his policy stand on local content in all sectors of the economy, adding that “let us use this opportunity to thank Mr. President for increasing and promoting local content in all sectors of our economy.

“We would not be talking about the examples of Belemaoil today, if that opportunity was not created in the first place.”