An umbrella association of youth and students for community selfless service and nationhood, ABS Youth and Students Support Group, in Ilorin, Kwara State, have embarked on campus-based network and campaign to discourage vices prevalent among youth.

Speaking with Community News in Ilorin, the chairman of the group, Mr Lawal Olalekan, said youths are the future actors in the overall implementation of transformation of the country.

Olalekan, who said sensitisation campaigns had been taken to campuses of various tertiary institutions in the state in affiliation with other non-government organisations and individuals, added that prevalent vices such as prostitution, cultism, exam malpractices, drug use and abuse were discouraged among youths.

He said no meaningful development could be realised without youth education, vocational skills and job opportunities.

He commended efforts of the Kwara State government at empowering youth with its welfare programmes.

He also urged youth and students to continue as the vanguard for good governance, saying they should involve in grassroots politics with the aim of entrenching good governance and avoid being used to foment trouble in the local government election.

"It is our hope that the Kwara political leaders will appreciate the need to further engage our youths in the collective drive towards developing Kwara State, especially as we prepare for the forthcoming local government election," he said.

The group also commended administration of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed for what it described as its commitment to the development of education sector and youth empowerment in the state.

"We are delighted that this administration has sustained the legacy of quality education to our youth as laid down by his predecessor, Senator Bukola Saraki," the statement said.