Reports: Kotoka International Airport To Be Renamed

Information gathered suggests that Ghana’s main aviation gateway, Kotoka International Airport (KIA), is likely to undergo a name change soon.

According to a report by Ghana Chronicles, discussions are underway to rename the airport, which many view as a lingering symbol of historical injustice.

The airport, named after Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, a key figure in the 1966 coup that ousted Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, has long been a point of contention. Critics argue that naming the airport after Kotoka glorifies a military officer who contributed to Ghana’s political instability and halted its path toward pan-African progress.

Asiedu Nketiah, Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is among those calling for change. Speaking on Radio Gold, he stated:

“Kotoka carried out a coup, overthrew Kwame Nkrumah, and named the airport after himself. That is not right… Several governments have come and gone, but none has had the courage to change it.”

Veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr also weighed in, describing Kotoka as a “national traitor” whose actions were in collaboration with foreign interests.

“How do you justify naming an airport after someone who helped subvert Ghana’s independence with the support of western intelligence agencies like the CIA?”

For decades, the name has been seen by many as a painful reminder of a conspiracy between Ghana’s post-colonial elite and external powers. With growing calls for national redefinition and historical accountability, momentum appears to be building toward renaming the airport.