Eliasu Yahaya Bansi, a BSc Real Estate graduate, emerged as the best-graduating student at the 58th congregation of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) College of Arts and Built Environment. He achieved a remarkable Cumulative Weighted Average of 81.04, a significant accomplishment as the first in his family to attend university.
Eliasu’s journey to academic excellence was fraught with challenges. Growing up in Bawku, he lacked financial support and often faced the harsh realities of tertiary education.
“I struggled through thick and thin to get here,” he shared.
To fund his education, the Bawku Senior High School alumnus worked in illegal mining, locally referred to as galamsey, during vacations in the Western Region. Tragically, during one of these trips, Eliasu lost a close friend, an experience that left a lasting impact on him.
“With sadness, I remember my friend Abubakar, who lost his life while running with me to escape. May his soul rest in peace. In fact, I hate galamsey, but had it not been for that, I wouldn’t have been here today,” he said.
After the incident, Eliasu made the decision never to return to the mining sites, a move fully supported by his siblings. Fortunately, his lecturers and friends at KNUST stepped in to provide much-needed assistance.
“I remember in my second year, when the university ordered students to pay up to 70% of their school fees or risk being barred from writing exams, I had to run to Zinzi, who sympathized with me and paid the fees. Thanks also to Andras Benewaa and Vicentia Gyamfi, who supported me in paying my school fees during that year.
“I also want to thank Mr. Gilbert Langu, our College Counselor, for supporting me every semester with food supplies through the KNUST Food Bank,” Eliasu recounted.
In his valedictory speech, Eliasu urged the university to extend support to students facing similar struggles.
“I appeal to the university authorities to look out for people of my sort and extend help to them,” he said.
At the congregation, the College of Arts and Built Environment graduated 2,003 students, comprising 1,237 males and 766 females.
