No fewer than seven Governors from Nigeria Northwest and six ministers are set to attend the grand finale and award ceremony of the Katsina National Talent Hunt Challenge (KNTHC) taking place this week in Katsina.
The event, scheduled to hold on February 15, at the Conference Hall of the State Secretariat Complex will be honouring the top 3 contestant from four different categories and 100 others who participated in the KNTHC to bring the 2021 edition to a close.
Speaking on behalf of members of the KNTHC organizing committee, Abdulkarim Yahaya Sirika, Katsina State Commissioner for Culture and Information, identified four different categories of contestants to be awarded at the grand finale to include those who showcase talents in the fields of “Arts and Design, Automotive Modelling and Products, ICT Design, Music and Entertainment.”
Sirika said ” a Toyota High Lander Jeep will be given to the best overall contestants by His Excellency, the Governor of Katsina Sate, Rt.Hon. Aminu Bello Masari.”
He equally noted that other prizes earmarked for the best three in each of the four categories as:
“1st Position will be rewarded with N5 Million
“2nd Position will be rewarded with N3 million
“3rd Position will be rewarded with N1.5 Million.’
In additional to the above prizes, Sirika said, “100 other contestants will be handsomely rewarded with consolation prizes of N100,000.00 each in token of having participated in the competition.”
According to Sidika “about 7,000 contestants submitted their entries for the competition and at the end of the screening exercise, 250, contestants were selected after a very high competitive process.
“The end products produced by the 250 talented youths were displayed during the public presentation exercise at the auditorium of the Katsina State Institute of Technology and Management, from November to December,2021.”
Sirika noted that “the main objective of the Katsina National Talent Hunt Challenge is to encourage innovation and develop the potential talents of Katsina youths and Nigeria in general which is in line with the vision of His Excellency, the Governor of Katsina State, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, CFR who believes in the potentials of the Nigerian youths.”
Aside the seven Governors from Northwest, other dignitaries expected to attend the award ceremony includes six Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Among them are: Dr. Ogbonoya Onu (Minister of Science and Technology), Prof. Ibrahim Ali Pantami (Minister of Digital Economy & Communication), Alhaji Hadi Sirika (Minister of Aviation), Hajiya Ramatu Tijani Aliyu (Minister of State FCT), Sunday Dare (Minister of Sports, Youth & Culture), and Mrs Dame Pauline Talen (Minister of Women Affairs).
Mr. Jelani Aliyu the Director General, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), is equally expected at the grand finale of the Katsina talent hunt.
