Ghana renames Kotoka airport amid debate over coup legacy

Ghana’s government has removed the name of former coup leader Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka from the country’s main airport, restoring it to its original name, Accra International Airport. The facility had been known as Kotoka International Airport since 1969, after being renamed in honour of Kotoka, one of the military officers who overthrew Ghana’s founding president, Kwame Nkrumah, in a 1966 coup. BBCreports that Kotoka was killed at the airport in 1967 during a failed counter-coup attempt.

The subsequent military government hailed him as a “liberator,” arguing that the coup ended what it described as Nkrumah’s increasingly authoritarian rule. However, critics have long argued that honouring a coup leader contradicts Ghana’s democratic values and glorifies unconstitutional changes of government. The Ministry of Transport said the government considered it appropriate to restore the airport’s original name to project a neutral national image and reflect the capital city, Accra.

Transport Minister, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, told local media that the decision was intended to align the airport’s identity with the city it serves. Kotoka’s family and other critics say the change erases his legacy and service. Parliament’s minority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, described the renaming as a betrayal of the Volta Region, Kotoka’s home area, arguing that the airport name was one of the few national honours recognising the region.

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Some Ghanaians have also questioned the timing and cost of the change, saying the government should prioritise tackling unemployment and improving living conditions. Supporters of the decision, including civil society groups, contend that retaining Kotoka’s name was inconsistent with Ghana’s democratic principles and risked legitimising military rule. The debate has intensified under President John Mahama, who returned to office following the December 2024 election. In a statement issued on Monday, the Transport Ministry urged the public and international partners to cooperate with authorities to ensure a smooth transition, assuring that the name change would not affect airport operations, safety standards or international travel.

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