PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has implored the youths to desist from engaging in activities that quickly fade away their fame saying such acts have in the past ruined the future for many.

The President said this at State House yesterday when he presented gold certificates and medals to Chengelo School youth that the situation was worrying particularly among sports personalities.

"Our youths become famous in one day and given beer they are gone. I always wonder whether we are doing enough for our youths. In other countries, youths have taken up guns but in our country, our youths have to prepare to face the challenges of our times. We have had a good example from Dr Kenneth Kaunda who fought for our independence," Mr Banda said.

He said it was unfortunate that there has been failure to nurture the youths in sport as after a player has risen to stardom, it did not take long before such was given in to excessive beer drinking.

Mr Banda said he was happy to note that the youths that received the medals had undertaken various voluntary and challenging activities over the last one year. Further, the recipients were involved in serving their local communities, improve their talents in sports, and develop their wider interest and challenging themselves through adventures in the bush.

Worldwide, there were six million youths that participate in award programmes and Mr Banda said he anticipated that more Zambians would join in such awards.

Ndubulula Outdoor Centre and Chengelo School Adventure Curriculum Coordinator Richard Thompson said it was important that the youths were committed and disciplined if they were to achieve their objectives.

He said he was happy that the youths at Chengelo School had been exhibiting commitment and dedication to whatever they had been doing.

Former Sport, Youth and Child Development Permanent Secretary Susan Sikaneta said she was happy that the trend to award the youths has been rejuvenated.

She said previously, the youths were being awarded for their efforts in the various activities but that the situation changed in the early 1990s. She was happy that the Government had recognised the need to award the youths and President Banda had accepted to be the patron for the International Award for Young People of Zambia.

At the same occasion, International Award for Young People of Zambia chairperson Caleb Fundanga said the challenge faced by his body was lack of offices for secretariat.

In a speech read for him by board member Teddy Nyasulu, Dr Fundanga said it was important that the organisation was assisted to set up a secretariat.