Goronyo Bags Leadership Award, Inducted as Fellow, Youth Vanguard Ambassador
By Pan Afric Reporters
The Honourable Minister of State for Works, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, has received an Award of Excellence and been inducted as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management and Leadership, in recognition of his contributions to leadership, youth development, public service and national development.
The recognition was announced in a press release issued by Abdullahi Mohammed, Special Adviser on Media to the Honourable Minister of State for Works, following a special ceremony held on Monday, September 7, 2026, at the Minister’s Conference Hall, Mabushi, Abuja.
Goronyo was also decorated as a Youth Vanguard Ambassador under an initiative being developed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to provide platforms for young Nigerians to showcase their talents, innovations, research and leadership potential.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister described the recognition as both an honour and a fresh responsibility to contribute more to humanity and national development.
“It is not something small. I take it as a big thing and as another challenge to serve humanity,” Goronyo said.
He stressed that effective leadership must be built on transparency, honesty, integrity and accountability, urging public office holders to continually strive to make meaningful contributions to society.
The Minister also commended the Chartered Institute for recognising his commitment to youth engagement and development, noting that empowering young Nigerians remained critical to the nation’s future.
Goronyo expressed appreciation to the Minister of Works, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, CON, FNSE, for the cordial working relationship between them, describing him as “a brother and partner in progress.”
He said their collaboration had contributed to advancing the objectives of the Federal Ministry of Works, particularly in the implementation of the Federal Government’s infrastructure agenda.
On road infrastructure, Goronyo said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had demonstrated strong commitment to addressing Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit through major legacy projects and strategic interventions.
He cited the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway and other strategic road corridors as evidence of the administration’s determination to improve connectivity, facilitate economic activities and promote national development.
According to him, the adoption of concrete technology on selected major road projects would further enhance the durability and longevity of Nigeria’s road infrastructure.
Earlier, the Country Director, USA, Chartered Institute of Management and Leadership, Dr. Samuel Ojo, said the ceremony was organised to formally honour and decorate Goronyo, who was unable to attend an earlier programme of the Institute due to a flight delay.
Ojo explained that the Minister was selected as one of the Institute’s Youth Vanguard Ambassadors because of his demonstrated commitment to youth development and leadership.
He said the Youth Vanguard Programme, being developed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, would engage young Nigerians through intellectual, innovation and research challenges across tertiary institutions and among youths in the Federal Capital Territory and the 36 states.
“We have a lot of talents in the field of innovation and research, but there is no bridge. We are trying to create that bridge through this programme in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development,” Ojo said.
He added that the initiative would help young Nigerians develop their talents, create jobs, promote innovation and contribute meaningfully to the country’s future, with the programme expected to operate at state, zonal and national levels.
Accepting the Fellowship and professional induction, Goronyo pledged to uphold the principles of integrity, accountability, professionalism, human rights, inclusion and respect for the dignity of all persons.
He also committed himself to investing in human-capacity development and supporting the advancement of the management profession as part of efforts to promote sustainable and inclusive national development.
The citation presented at the ceremony highlighted Goronyo’s experience in public service, law, politics and youth mobilisation, including his roles at the local government level, within political party structures and in youth mobilisation during the build-up to the 2023 presidential election.
The citation further noted his service across different arms and levels of government, including his appointment as Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation before his deployment to the Federal Ministry of Works as Minister of State.
The ceremony was attended by officials and representatives of the Chartered Institute of Management and Leadership, members of the media and other invited guests.
