Achimota Commission 2010 reaches out to Alumni and Friends of Achimota School

In February 2006, the Achimota Commission 2010 was launched in an emotional response to a February 10th article in The Ghanaian Chronicle titled “Woes of Good Ol' Achimota,” which summarised Achimota's financial and infrastructural crises in an interview with its headmistress Mrs. Adelaide Kwami.

The aim was to create an ongoing discussion among alumni, students and friends of Achimota School that would generate ideas and strategies to create a sustainable, effective mechanism for restoring the ailing school — a vision to be implemented by Founders Day in March 2010, hence the name AC2010. AC2010 is an Internet-based discussion forum that communicates through email and telephone conference calls.

AC2010 soon became more than a discussion group. It set up a steering committee and developed terms of reference. Two dozen Old Achimotans (Akoras), including the president of the Old Achimotan Association (OAA) Sarah-Lynn Nunoo Mansaray, volunteered their services as AC2010 commissioners and set to work. Six months later, AC2010's general discussion board has 1193 participants and has received over 30,000 hits as Akoras all over the world visit the cyberspace forum to discuss issues ranging from website content to curriculum reform.

For decades, the OAA has liaised with year groups to undertake renovation projects. However, with grounds of more than two square miles, including several 80-year-old buildings, Achimota's maintenance challenge, even leaving academics aside, is overwhelming. AC2010 feels the time has come for all Old Achimotans to work together in a more sustained, systematic and coordinated manner to tackle Achimota's issues from the ground up — and this time with a difference: all hands on deck!

AC2010 sees itself as an agent of the school, a consulting group that exists to assist the OAA and the Achimota School Board with their missions. In June 2006 the Board approved AC2010's Capital Campaign to raise $5 million (46.2 billion cedis) by 2010. Chaired by Dr. Kingsley Orraca-Tetteh (1968, Lugard) AC2010 is working hard to launch the fundraising drive on October 1st, 2006.

“A key goal,” Kingsley says, “is to ensure 100% transparency and professional accountability at every stage of the campaign — from donation to implementation. This is a must; but even with all the transparency in the world, we cannot achieve anything without the generous support of all Akoras and friends of Achimota School worldwide. Guggisberg, Fraser and Aggrey founded Achimota with a far-reaching vision in mind. We cannot let them down at this stage. The Grey City made us who we are today. It's time to give back.”

We want all Akoras to join our forum at http://groups.google.com/group/Achimota2010.

There are several fascinating articles and discussions. Once you've had a good read, post an introductory message with your full name, maiden name where applicable, house and year group. AC2010 would be honoured to have you on board to work together, along with the OAA and existing year groups, to reach our goal of restoring Achimota School by 2010.

AC2010: Restoring Excellence Through Teamwork