In a bid to address the myriad challenges faced by students in Taraba State, the National Union of Taraba Students Association recently organized a pivotal town hall meeting with the Special Assistant (S.A) on Youth mobilization to the Honorable Minister of Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation, Hon Yusi Buba. The meeting aimed at shedding light on the pressing issues confronting the youth in the state and seeking viable solutions.

Hon Yusi Buba attended the gathering with a dedicated mission — to lend a compassionate ear to the cries of the students, understand their needs, and identify the hurdles they face in accessing basic amenities and education. During the deliberations, it became apparent that one of the most alarming issues affecting the youth was the exorbitant increase in registration fees. This fee surge disproportionately affected individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom engage in laborious activities such as farming to finance their education.

An acute concern raised was the security situation in the areas where these students reside. The communities are surrounded by the looming threat of bandits and kidnappers, making it nearly impossible for them to engage in farming or other income-generating activities. Consequently, the students find themselves in a precarious situation where the pursuit of education is hindered by the daunting challenges posed by insecurity.

One of the students’ urgent appeals to Hon Yusi Buba was for the intervention of the Honorable Minister in providing support and inclusion in programs like Npower or any other student fund scheme. These initiatives would offer the students opportunities to earn income and sustain themselves financially, particularly for covering their school fees. Despite the President, Bola Ahmad Tinubu’s approval for students in the country to access loans for funding their studies, students in the North East, including Taraba State, expressed difficulties in accessing these loans.

In response, the students expressed their hope for a workaround alternative from the Minister of Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation, renowned for her commitment to wiping away people’s worries, especially in terms of poverty alleviation. The Minister’s dedication and the S.A’s commitment to youth mobilization were emphasized during the town hall meeting. The students sought to understand the aims and objectives of the Minister and the specific responsibilities she shoulders, while also expressing their optimism that her intervention would pave the way for a brighter future for the youth in North East.