The FCT Administration, last week, gave out cash gifts to 65 young athletes, in recognition of their outstanding performances at the 2021 under 15 National Youth Games which held at Ilorin.
Recall that the FCT contingents finished 7th position, with 10 gold, nine silver, and 17 bronze medals in the tournament held which took place in October 2021.
The FCT gold medalists were rewarded with a cash gift of N150,000 each, while those who clinched Silver and bronze medals each got N100,000 and N50,000 respectively for returning home with laurels.
Other athletes also hit cash gifts of N15,000 each from the FCTA for participating in the Games.
Speaking at a brief presentation of the cash awards tagged “appreciative gesture for the FCT Under-15 youth athletes that participated at the National Youth Games Ilorin 2021”, the Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu, commended the athletes for “an uncommon display” at the different sporting events they partook in, thus making the FCT and the administration very proud.
Aliyu, who was represented by the Mandate, Secretary, FCT Social Development Secretariat, Hajiya Hadiza Kabir, disclosed that a befitting award night for the athletes is also being planned.
She stressed that the FCT administration is committed to engage and empower the youths of the territory through sporting activities by continuous support of all her activities geared towards achieving this purpose.
According to her, “Sporting activity is one of the ways in which the youths can be empowered and strengthen physically, so beyond rhetoric, it is an engagement that should be embraced and supported all well-meaning Nigerians including private organizations.
“FCT will continue to support all sporting activities in the territory and at national competitions”.
Furthermore, the minister appreciated the parents of the young ambassadors of sports in the FCT, for seeing the need to release them not to only participate in the sporting activities but to also travel all the way to Ilorin for the competition.
On his part, FCT Director of the Department of Sports, Mr. Lukas Istifanus, explained that the cash gift is not a reward, but rather a gesture to appreciate the young athletes for their efforts in positively projecting the FCT.
He added that the symbolic presentation of cheques for the cash gifts to the athletes, signals the formal disbursement of appreciative packages to them.
