The Honourable Minister of State for Works, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo., has been conferred with an Award of Excellence and inducted as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management and Leadership in recognition of his contributions to leadership, youth development and public service.
He was also decorated as a Youth Vanguard Ambassador under a programme being developed with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to provide platforms for young Nigerians to showcase talents, innovations and leadership potential.
The honours were presented on Monday, 7th September 2026, at the Minister’s Conference Hall, Mabushi, Abuja, by Dr. Samuel Ojo, Country Director, USA, Chartered Institute of Management and Leadership.
Receiving the honours, Goronyo described the recognition as “both a privilege and a renewed challenge 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,” he said.
The Minister, in a statement by his SA Media, Abdullahi Mohammed, noted that his work on leadership and youth development had taken him to platforms with the Global Peace Foundation and to programmes in the United States and the Philippines.
He stressed that effective leadership must be anchored on transparency, honesty, integrity and accountability.
Goronyo commended the Institute for recognizing his contributions to youth engagement, saying “empowering young Nigerians remains critical to the future of the country.”
Speaking on the Federal Government’s infrastructure drive, the Minister of State highlighted the strategic role of roads in economic growth.
He said the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, administration has shown strong commitment through legacy projects and interventions.
He cited the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway and other strategic road corridors as evidence of government’s determination to improve connectivity and facilitate economic activity.
He added that the adoption of concrete technology on selected projects would improve durability and longevity of Nigeria’s roads.
Goronyo also appreciated the working relationship with the Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, describing him as “a brother and partner in progress.”
In accepting the Fellowship, Goronyo pledged to uphold integrity, accountability, professionalism, human rights, inclusion and respect for the dignity of all persons. He also committed to investing in human-capacity development and advancing the management profession.
Dr. Ojo explained that the ceremony was organized after Goronyo missed the Institute’s earlier programme due to a flight delay.
He said the Youth Vanguard Programme will run in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to engage young Nigerians through intellectual, innovation and research challenges across tertiary institutions and in the FCT and 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,” Ojo stated.
The initiative will operate at state, zonal and national levels, with plans for a national gathering to be officiated by the President and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.
The citation presented highlighted Goronyo’s experience in public service, law, politics and youth mobilisation, including service at local government level, role in youth mobilisation during the 2023 presidential election, and previous appointment as Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation before his deployment to Works.
Goronyo is a Fellow and member of several national and international professional bodies in law, management, public relations, engineering, environment, peacebuilding and leadership.
The event was attended by officials of the Chartered Institute of Management and Leadership, members of the media and other invited guests.