By Henry Agbu, Jalingo

Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, has pledged his administration’s support for youth empowerment initiatives, saying meaningful engagement of young people is critical to curbing drug abuse and building a prosperous future for the state.

Governor Kefas made the commitment when he received the STEAM Summer Team 2026, led by the Queen of Mambilla, Dr. Aishatu Baju, on a courtesy visit.

The four-week summer programme, organised by the SAB Foundation in collaboration with the Taraba State Government, benefited more than 1,000 students from Sardauna Local Government Area.

The Governor said his administration would partner with the organisers to expand the programme and create more opportunities for young people to discover and develop their potential.

He further pledged to sponsor the initiative across the three senatorial zones, stressing the importance of taking youth-focused programmes closer to the people.

According to him, young people possess enormous energy which, when properly channelled through education, skills development and other productive activities, can help prevent drug abuse and other social vices.

Governor Kefas commended the SAB Foundation and other stakeholders for investing in the younger generation and called for greater collaboration towards building a brighter future for Taraba youths.

Earlier, the Team Lead of the STEAM Summer Camp and Sarauniyan Mambilla, Dr. Aishatu Baju, said the initiative was driven by love and compassion, with the objective of making a lasting impact in the lives of young people.

Dr. Baju appreciated the support of the Taraba State Government, noting that the programme complements the administration’s educational priorities.

She described the four-week camp as highly impactful, saying participants gained new knowledge, acquired practical skills and developed lasting friendships.

She added that the organisation remained committed to positively impacting the lives of young people and was open to partnerships that would enable it to expand the programme to more communities.

Harvard University Professor, Hauwa Ibrahim, who also joined the STEAM team, provided an overview of the activities and engagements undertaken during the four-week summer camp.