Students enrolled in pre degree and remedial programmes at Benue State University of Agriculture, Science and Technology, no longer need to worry about raising money for their 2026 JAMB registration, as Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia approved full sponsorship for 400 of them.

The governor announced this during an inspection of the university's hostel construction site in Ihugh, combining infrastructure assessment with educational support to highlight his administration's focus on youth development.

Chief Solomon Iorpev, who serves as Technical Adviser to the Governor on Media, Publicity, and Strategic Communication, confirmed the development in a statement released yesterday, describing the gesture as deliberately targeted at removing financial barriers between students and their academic ambitions.

Governor Alia toured the ongoing hostel projects and expressed satisfaction with the construction progress. He used this opportunity to reaffirm his commitment to developing educational infrastructure that meets the quality his administration promises to Benue residents.

The visit revealed a governor concerned not just with physical structures but with the people who will eventually use them, as he stressed that education remains the most powerful tool for driving comprehensive development across the state.

Alia connected the JAMB sponsorship to broader education initiatives already underway, particularly the Building Rights to Access and Compulsory Education for Unenrolled Pupils programme launched recently to ensure that no school age child in Benue remains outside the classroom.

He described the BRACE UP project as central to his administration's dual goals of expanding access to education and reducing poverty levels throughout the state. He positioned it alongside the JAMB sponsorship as part of a comprehensive education strategy.

The governor highlighted agriculture and entrepreneurship as sectors that stand to benefit tremendously from an educated population, explaining why his administration considers quality education essential rather than optional for Benue's transformation.

Speaking directly to the beneficiaries, Governor Alia urged them to recognise and seize the opportunity created by the sponsorship, encouraging them to pursue their academic dreams with determination and to return with their skills to contribute to the state's progress.

The 400 sponsored students will have their complete JAMB registration costs covered, eliminating what could have been an insurmountable obstacle for many families struggling with education expenses.

BUAST itself represents Governor Alia's vision of creating specialised tertiary institutions that directly address Benue's development priorities in agriculture, science, and technology, making the hostel construction and student sponsorship complementary investments in the same vision.