Ghana to rename main airport as it pushes away from coup legacy
Ghana’s government has announced plans to rename the nation’s largest airport and primary international gateway, Kotoka International Airport to its original designation, Accra International Airport.
The decision follows years of public discussion regarding the appropriateness of the current name.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, February 3, by Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader in Parliament. Speaking at a media briefing, said, “We are changing the name of our airport from Kotoka International Airport to Accra International Airport. A bill will be brought by the Minister for Transport to facilitate this change.”
The airport was initially established in 1946 as a military facility operated by the British Royal Air Force following 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.
The name was changed in 1969 to Kotoka International Airport in memory of Lt. General E.K. Kotoka, a key figure in the 1966 coup that removed Nkrumah from office. General Kotoka was later killed in 1967 during a failed coup attempt at a location now part of the airport’s forecourt.
The renaming proposal reflects ongoing calls from civil society and public figures who argue that naming a national airport after a military coup leader is contrary to Ghana’s democratic values. Among these voices is Samia Nkrumah, daughter of the late Nkrumah, who has consistently advocated for restoring the airport’s original name.
Ayariga affirmed the legislative nature of the process, stating, “Such decisions must be grounded in law and guided by the will of the people.”
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
