MINISTER of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, on Monday, announced a reward of one million naira cash to overall best secondary school student among the 774 students who were currently taking part in the 774 Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Award.

He also announced that the second and third place winners would receive the sum of N750,000 and N500,000 respectively.

Dr Onu, who made this announcement at the 2018 national final examination of the award organized by his ministry, said the gesture was to encourage young ones to achieve their full potentials in the deployment of science, technology and innovation to drive the nation’s effort to promote economic growth and diversification.

The minister further said those excel at the end of the examination would be presented to President Muhammadu Buhari at the forthcoming Technology and Innovation Expo scheduled to hold in Abuja next month.

He stated that those present at the final event would also receive a Laptop each as a souvenir from the ministry to further encourage them.

Dr Onu explained that Buhari’s administration was determined to ensure that Nigeria secured a bright future for its young ones to enable them to release their creative energies and potentials to make significant contributions to national development

According to him, “as young boys and girls who have shown amazing promise in science and technology, you must not let your dream die because it is in that dream that a new Nigeria can be born.

“You can surpass the achievements of our forefathers and become great men and women of distinction who can help ensure that in no distant time from now, Nigeria can produce a Noble laureate in physics, Chemistry and medicine.

“I have no doubt in my mind that the seed we are showing today will tomorrow enable Nigeria to stimulate greater interest among our young ones  to accept  science, technology and innovation as a way of life.” He was optimistic.

Earlier, the Director, Science and Technology Promotion, Mr Ekanem Udo said the 774 Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Award was an initiative of the ministry geared at effectively encouraging and developing the interest of Nigerian youths in science, technology and innovation (STI).