Gov. Agbu Kefas of Taraba, on Friday, presented 500 mattresses to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the state for the use of corps members and camp officials during the orientation course.

Represented by Joseph Joshua, the commissioner for youth and sports development, Mr Kefas said that the gesture followed the attack on the NYSC orientation camp in Taraba in 2020 by hoodlums during the EndSARS protest where mattresses were looted.

The governor said that the mattresses are a measure to relieve the sufferings of corps members and camp officials during orientation exercises.

While urging the beneficiaries to utilise the mattresses well, Mr Kefas also donated N9.5 million to augment food rations in the camp.

Responding, the Taraba NYSC coordinator, Anthony Nzoka, who received the mattresses and the token, appreciated the governor for the kind gesture.

Mrs Nzoka pledged to put the mattresses and the cash to judicious use for the good of all.

“I want to say that since the EndSARS protest in 2020, this camp has been in managing in pains.

“When I came here in 2021, I met a camp that was totally devastated; I was imagining where to begin. Each time corps members are collecting mattresses, I will be feeling pains because they are not good enough.

“Each time I am briefing the corps members, I always tell them, ‘you know our mattresses are not good but bear with us’. This is the reason, but today you have taken away our pains.

“I want to assure you that these mattresses will be properly branded and kept on the camp for use by corps members and officials,” he said.

(NAN)