Achimota School Celebrates Historic Achievement as Only SHS Featured on New Cedi Notes

Celebrating its historic recognition on Ghana’s new Heritage Series cedi notes, Achimota School described it as a moment of immense pride for its entire communityIn a joint statement, the school’s governing board, management and old students’ association also highlighted its links to some of the faces on the banknotesThe recognition comes as the school prepares to celebrate its centenary, with many past and present students taking to social media to celebrate the milestoneGhana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!

Achimota School has celebrated after becoming the only senior high school featured on Ghana’s new Heritage Series cedi notes.

Achimota School celebrates its recognition on Ghana’s new Heritage Series cedi notes ahead of its centenary. Photo source: Achimota SHS/Web, BoG. Source: UGCThe school’s Administration Block appears on the reverse of the new GH¢5 note, which was unveiled by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) on Thursday, November 12, 2026.

Reacting, the school’s Governing Board, management, staff, students and the Old Achimotan Association (OAA) issued a joint statement.

It was titled “Achimota’s Legacy, Forever Imprinted in Ghana’s History.” The statement was signed by Board Chair Prof Ernest Aryeetey, Headmaster Ebenezer Acquaah and OAA President Joel Nettey. Founded in 1927, the school will mark 100 years next year.

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In the statement, Achimota said it warmly welcomed and celebrated its recognition on Ghana’s newly issued banknotes.

The school described the moment as one of immense pride for the entire Achimota community. According to the school, the Administration Block on the GH¢5 note is an architectural landmark representing its history and enduring contribution to national development.

“It reinforces the fact that Achimota’s story is deeply woven into the story of Ghana,” the statement read. The school ended with the words, “Akoras, Yɛnko!”

Shared on Instagram, Achimota School’s statement is below.

According to the statement, five of the eight faces on the new notes have links to Achimota. Dr James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey, who appears on the GH¢5 note, was one of the founders of the school.

The statement also recognised Akora Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, who features on the GH¢200 note.

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Dr Ephraim Amu, on the GH¢20 note, was described as a distinguished teacher at Achimota whose contributions to music, culture and education remain significant.

Theodosia Okoh, who appears on the GH¢50 note, was an old student of the school and designed Ghana’s national flag.

Justice Annie Jiagge, featured on the GH¢10 note, was described as the first woman in Ghana and the Commonwealth to become a judge.

With its 100th anniversary approaching, the school said the recognition makes its upcoming centenary even more meaningful.

It described the honour as a fitting tribute to a century of shaping minds, nurturing leaders and contributing to national progress.

Stakeholders, Akoras and well-wishers were also invited to join in celebrating a legacy that belongs to Ghana as a whole. “A hundred years of excellence,” the statement added.

Many past and present students of Achimota took to the comment section to celebrate. YEN.com.gh compiled some of the comments below.

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YEN.com.gh earlier reported that two old students of Mfantsipim School also feature on the new Heritage Series cedi notes.

Former UN chief Kofi Annan, who attended Mfantsipim from 1954 to 1957, appears on the GH¢100 note. Dr James Kwegyir Aggrey, who had his early education at Wesleyan High School, which later became Mfantsipim, is on the GH¢5 note.

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Ben-oni Blay (Entertainment Editor) Ben-Oni Quao Blay is an Entertainment Editor at YEN.com.gh with a Master’s degree in Journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Cape Coast. He has over five years of experience in SEO content creation, digital publishing, and audience analytics. Before joining YEN.com.gh, he served as Lead Content Creator and Writer at the International Filmmakers Association (Germany), where he covered film and entertainment. He holds Google certifications in Digital Marketing and SEO. Contact him at benoni.blay@yen.com.gh.