Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas
Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba state has bid farewell to 100 indigenes of the state sponsored by the government to pursue postgraduate studies in various disciplines in India.
The governor, represented by the Member representing Wukari I Constituency in the Taraba State House of Assembly, Jethro Yakubu, spoke at a send-forth dinner organised by the state government for the beneficiaries.
Kefas said the beneficiaries would have employment opportunities waiting for them upon completion of their master’s degree programmes, stressing that the scholarship was part of his administration’s investment in human capital development.
He said he met a moribund Scholarship Board upon assumption of office in 2023 and immediately took steps to revive it, noting that his administration regarded education as a critical investment in the future of the state.
The governor recalled that the administration had made primary and secondary education free and compulsory across Taraba, while also fulfilling its commitment to reduce tuition fees in tertiary institutions by 50 per cent.
According to him, the sponsorship of the 100 students represents another major milestone in the state’s education agenda and marks the first time such a large number of first-class and second-class upper graduates would be sponsored for postgraduate studies abroad by the state government.
Kefas said the beneficiaries were selected strictly on merit from the 16 local government areas of the state.
“There is no godfatherism, no politics and no connections in this process. It is strictly based on merit,” he said.
He added that the diversity of the beneficiaries reflected the transparency of the selection process.
The governor disclosed that the scholarship programme was fully funded by the Taraba State Government, which would cover tuition, return air tickets, accommodation, feeding and monthly stipends throughout the duration of the students’ programmes.
He said the beneficiaries would study strategic courses, including engineering, computer science, medical and paramedical sciences, agriculture and other critical disciplines.
Kefas explained that the courses were carefully selected to address critical manpower needs in the state, urging the students to return home after their studies and deploy their acquired knowledge and skills to the development of Taraba.
“We need you to come back and fix our hospitals, build our roads, power our ICT revolution and transform our agriculture. That is why jobs are waiting for all of you when you return,” he said.
The governor charged the students to be good ambassadors of Taraba State and Nigeria while in India, urging them to respect the laws, culture and traditions of their host country.
He also urged them to demonstrate discipline and uphold the values expected of beneficiaries of the state government’s scholarship programme.
“Do not ‘Japa’ and forget Taraba. The State is investing in you so that you can, in return, invest in the State,” he added.
Kefas thanked the parents and guardians of the beneficiaries for their sacrifices and support, assuring them that the state government would continue to prioritise the safety, welfare and academic success of the students.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to expanding access to quality and affordable education for Tarabans, both within and outside the country, and sustaining investments in human capital development to support the state’s long-term growth.