Ghana renames Kotoka International Airport to Accra International Airport after almost 60 years
Ghana’s government has removed the name of Lt. General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka from the country’s main airport, restoring it to its original name, Accra International Airport.
The decision to restore the original name follows years of public discussion about the appropriateness of naming the airport after a military coup leader.
The airport was first established in 1946 as a military facility operated by the British Royal Air Force after World War II. It was later handed over to civilian authorities.
In 1956, under the leadership of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the facility underwent structural development to meet international air travel standards. By 1958, it was officially inaugurated as Accra International Airport.
In 1969, the military government renamed it Kotoka International Airport in memory of Lt. General E.K. Kotoka, a key figure in the 1966 coup that removed Nkrumah from office. Kotoka was later killed in 1967 during a failed coup attempt at a location that is now part of the airport’s forecourt.
The military government renamed the airport in his honour, portraying him as a “liberator” from what it described as Nkrumah’s authoritarian rule.
The decision to rename the nation’s largest airport was first announced earlier on February 3, during a media briefing by the Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga.
Where he stated that “a bill will be brought by the Minister for Transport to facilitate this change.”
However, Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe stated that the renaming process does not require any legislation, clarifying that airport renaming in Ghana has consistently been carried out through executive orders.
Bukari Nikpe said the government “considered it appropriate” to restore the earlier name.
He told local media that the change was aimed at projecting a neutral national image and reflecting the name of the capital city, Accra.
Supporters of the move, including some civil society groups, argue that honouring Kotoka contradicts Ghana’s democratic values and glorifies an unconstitutional change of government.
Samia Nkrumah, daughter of the late president, has consistently advocated for restoring the airport’s original name.
Critics, including members of Kotoka’s family, said the decision erases his legacy and service. Some members of the public have also questioned the cost of the change and asked why issues such as unemployment and living conditions are not being prioritised.
However, Bukari Nikpe stated that the change will bear no high cost to the state, and it only involves removing 'Kotoka' and making a few adjustments.
Nkrumah led Ghana to independence in 1957 and was regarded as a leading figure in the pan-African liberation movement. After his overthrow, Ghana experienced several coups until the return to multiparty democracy in 1992. Since then, the country has held closely contested elections and witnessed peaceful transfers of power.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
