Interview: SRC Prez Caleb Fugah talks about his achievements, challenges and the way forward

As he nears the end of a successful era as the Student Representative Council president, watsuptek.com decided to interview Caleb Fugah. He talks about his challenges, achievements and way forward.

Our reporter Sena, brings to all Caleb had to say about his reign and life after school.

Who is Fugah Caleb?

I know the best way to identify a person is by the name. I am Fugah Caleb. But what defines me as a young man is my ambition to chase my passion, which is to make sure I pursue what makes me happy and other people happy as well.

So now talking about SRC, what drove you into contesting for the presidential position?

I have always told people that, I always want to become a first class responsible citizen to my society than to be a first class student. One way I thought of achieving this is getting into a political office so I can impact to society positively. From the day I came to KNUST, I have had so much exposure, from class rep, to local NUGS representative for College of Arts and Social Sciences. (CASS), pushed further to College presidency by Gods grace, and with my achievements as college president,( Driving School Policy, Swimming pool policy, Flat rate policy, which was to cut down the college dues to not less than 80%) I was inspired to do more for the school. The reason for standing for that position.


I understand during your campaign back then, you were going through real emotion trauma due to the demise of your mum. Did that incident in anyway make you feel like giving up on the whole election regardless of the vision you seek to accomplish in this school?

It happened on 22nd March, a day before my vetting and I remember a story I shared with a brother who had lost the father sometime back. ‘Two boys that I know, twins for that matter lost their mother, one went wayward and became a drunkard but the other pursued and said ‘I’ll live to become the person my mum will want me to be if she were to be alive.’ The responsible child became very influential and was well established.’ I realized I had policies which could save students who could possibly be in my situation, which is the SRC life policy which was going to help students who lose their guardians. Leadership is not about the leader but about his followers, I tell you, it crossed my mind to stop the race. But when I sank deep within myself, I realized this is not about me. And I couldn’t let the hopes of those who had supported me all these while down. As a leader also your emotional feelings shouldn’t count but your vision. It grossly affected my academics though. I can always live to redo it. But leadership is a onetime thing.

Now coming to SRC as a body, when you look back from now, can you proudly tell yourself and KNUST that “yes indeed we have achieved our mission and vision as a team for the school”

I can say this to the glorification of the almighty God that, indeed we feel fulfilled.

Kindly spell out to us what you and your team have remarkably done or achieved for the student body.

We touched on the core elements of students on campus a lot in the field of health, academics, transportation and accommodation.

For the health sector, we brought about the comprehensive health life policy that covers all ailments that is not covered under the national health insurance scheme and also students don’t need to pay for consultation fees if they don’t have the insurance cards at a payment of just 30Gh. To a larger extent too, drugs are given out for free.


Talking about transport, we happened to speak to the newly elected head of the transport engineering unit and solicited that ‘shuttles’ would be made to stop at business school as well, other than its normal route from the shuttle rank straight through ‘Brunei’. It took effect to an extent since it’s a new policy. But students who seek to be alighted there are given the honor.

Now to academics, we spoke to the administration about the withdrawn students, and you and I can attest to the fact that, most of our friends who were withdrawn because of bad performance can now re apply.

Speaking on security, we have worked really hard and now we have set up security post at Afrifa junction, security barrier at crystal rose. And we set up arguments in all the hostels and they have started taking police security men. The argument was that, most national police men have nowhere to put their heads, so assigning them to hostels to work would at least provide them with some comfortability. We are also setting up more security posts on campus and telephone numbers would be available at each post so that in case of any emergency, students could easily call.

Also in accommodation, in my tenure of office, all dues in the traditional halls and SRC were halted except for Brunei that we have no control over. We deliberated with the hostel managers and the hostel prices off campus have been reduced to an extent. We seek to make security strict in the hostels and also get directions to all these hostels into the schools account in case of any emergency so we could track our students. We have also built the foundation for a new SRC hostel and hope to cut the sword before leaving office.

The registration process too has become fast since the bank system has integrated the banks system into the schools account and students wouldn’t have to queue to clear themselves after payment at the bank.

Outside student demands, we visited a village in the North in Yendi and gave out certificates to students for their hard work and supported them just to motivate them.

We are also supporting the SCC worship complex center which is a 10000 capacity centre where students can hold their conferences, matriculation, graduation etc.

Talking about challenges you sure must have encountered some, could you share some and probably how you overcame them as well.

My major problem was with communication, and also with the presentation of our budget to the parliamentary council for discussion and approval. There have been issues on accounting over the years. The parliamentary council couldn’t check these things, hence was moved to the Dean of Student’s Office by the administration. Hence the approvals of budgets were moved there, but people keep forgetting the change of system and keep on accusing me blindly. Also with communication, I couldn’t relay to the students what I have been able to achieve down to the students. But by Gods grace, because of watsuptek, I believe all will know of our achievements.

What in your opinion will you want the upcoming SRC president and his team have as their focus; any advice?

I want the upcoming president to do advocacy for efficiency and effectivenesss. We don’t need to build more, we have to integrate tall into the system and with the exam council, come together to draw a holistic time table to know free and available classrooms. Other classrroms are too small to house students whiles there are free rooms elsewhere. We don’t need to build more, we need to improve transportation off campus and regulate hostel prices off campus, and increase security off campus. We shouldn’t collapse peoples business but get a way of fortifying it to make the environment better. Personally, I begun a special fund for final year students to be able to do their project work, I’ve done 10% of the framework and I wish they could continue the vision. I didn’t use money for my driving school policy, I used my human capacity and spoke to a body willing enough. They should take this as an advice. My worst decision was organizing fun city, I will wish that they don’t repeat it but rather channel the money into something profitable.

Back to you, after school what’s next?

After school, I intend not pursuing a political agenda but a leadership agenda into making things right. I am actually looking at world renowed institutions like UN so that I can put into practicality what I have learnt from KNUST.

Has your tenure of office as SRC president of KNUST taught you any new lesson in life? If yes, can you kindly share.

It has been a real blessing, i have learnt that I should never act on my feelings, when you are supposed to be angry, that’s the time you are supposed to act the opposite way. As a leader out there, don’t think about yourself, think about the people and everlasting blessing will be your portion, God has been so good to us because we have been able to stick to our promises to the people.




Interview by Jennifer Sena Teyie - (Bsc. Petrochemical engineering 2)


Source: http://watsuptek.com/interview-src-prez-caleb-fugah-talks-about-his-achievements-challenges-and-the-way-forward/#.U2lUMYFdUew