Dr Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, a Commissioner of the NDPC
Dr Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, a Commissioner of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), has issued a formal retraction and clarification following public and institutional concerns over his earlier comments opposing the proposed renaming of Kotoka International Airport.
In a statement dated February 4, 2026, Dr Apetorgbor clarified that his earlier remarks were made in a personal capacity and did not represent the views or position of the NDPC.
“I wish to unequivocally clarify that the views expressed in that statement were entirely personal and do not represent the position of the National Development Planning Commission,” he stated, adding that he takes full responsibility for any perception that his comments conveyed an institutional position.
The clarification follows a strongly worded press statement issued earlier by Dr Apetorgbor in which he criticised reports that the Majority Leader, through the Ministry of Transport, intended to introduce a bill in Parliament to rename Kotoka International Airport as Accra International Airport.
In that earlier statement, Dr Apetorgbor described the proposal as a “misplaced policy priority” and argued that renaming the country’s main international airport would deliver no measurable economic or operational benefit.
He cited global aviation practice, fiscal pressures and the need to prioritise efficiency, safety, cargo capacity and competitiveness in Ghana’s aviation sector over what he termed a symbolic exercise.
He further called on the Volta Caucus in Parliament, the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Volta-based diaspora organisations and the wider Ghanaian public to “fiercely reject” the proposal, framing the issue as a broader question of policy discipline and national development priorities.
The statement triggered public debate and raised concerns about whether the views reflected the NDPC’s institutional stance, prompting the subsequent retraction.
In his clarification, Dr Apetorgbor said his intervention had been motivated by concern over public reaction and process-related anxieties already evident among sections of Parliament, civil society, professional groups and the diaspora, but was never intended to undermine government authority or institutional integrity.
“It was never intended to undermine the authority of the Government, the cohesion of the governing party or the integrity of state institutions,” he said.
Ghanaians divided over proposal to rename Kotoka International Airport
He reaffirmed his respect for the authority of the President, Cabinet and the government’s collective decision-making processes, and pledged to operate strictly within established institutional and advisory frameworks going forward.
“Where issues of national sensitivity arise, the appropriate course remains quiet counsel and formal advice through established presidential channels,” he stated, acknowledging that his communication should have been more carefully framed to avoid unintended interpretation.
Dr Apetorgbor also reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the NDPC’s neutrality and statutory role, providing evidence-based advice to the President through appropriate channels, and supporting government efforts to preserve public confidence, social harmony, and democratic stability.
He expressed hope that the clarification would be received in the spirit of responsibility, respect and recommitment to institutional order.
AM
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