Ibe Kachikwu,right, receiving the award

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Ibe Kachikwu, on Wednesday cautioned organisations to refrain from giving awards to personalities occupying government positions at an early stage of their service.

Kachikwu said this in Abuja while being conferred with the Nelson Mandela Pan-African Exemplary Leadership honour by the African Youth Global Network (AYGN).

Mr Paul Atson Kekeh, Country Representative of AYGN, had earlier said that the award was conferred on the minister in recognition of his service to the nation and being an exemplary and visionary leader.

The minister, however, said that the award was too premature for him.

“Let me start by thanking you for the honour, but my problem is that I have not been able to see myself getting to a point where I deserve an award. I think it is coming a bit premature and every attempt to give me an award since September, I have turned down including foreign awards.

“The problem we have in Africa is to celebrate people too early even before they find their feet.

“I have just begun this work, just at the periphery of the performance, and there is a lot to be done.

“I think it is too early, but this being a youth award, the least I could do is to encourage them to aspire and that is why I accepted the award.”

The minister dedicated the award to the staff of the NNPC and called on them to cooperate in achieving its aim of moving the agency higher.