Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport is to be renamed as Accra International Airport. The decision was disclosed by Ghana’s Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, during a leadership media briefing.
The government has announced plans to table the bill, which will be presented by the Minister for Transport to Parliament to legally effect the name change and make it official through legislation.
The airport’s current name, Kotoka International Airport, was adopted in 1969 in honour of Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, a figure associated with Ghana’s 1966 coup.
Those advocating for the change argue the name should better reflect Accra identity, reversing the change made decades ago and also to reflect Ghana’s democratic values and national identity.
The renaming does not yet take effect, the name will only officially change if and when Parliament passes the proposed legislation.
At this stage, the proposal has been announced and a bill is expected to be laid before Parliament. There is no final legal change in place yet.
The current name honors Lt. General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, a military figure involved in the 1966 coup, and some argue it does not align with modern Ghana’s democratic traditions.
The move has already sparked public discussion and debate within Ghana.
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