In February 2026, the Government of Ghana announced plans to rename Kotoka International Airport back to its original name, Accra International Airport. A bill is being prepared for Parliament to formalize the change a move the Majority Leader says recognizes the Ga people who provided land for the airport and corrects a historical oversight.
The proposed renaming has split public opinion:
Supporters argue the current name honors a coup leader and is at odds with Ghana’s democratic values, and that the airport should instead reflect its geographical identity or honor those directly connected to its founding.
Critics say the timing and cost of renaming a major international hub are misplaced priorities given economic challenges, and that the airport’s existing name has global recognition.
Some political figures and civil society groups are calling for the removal of Kotuku’s name altogether, saying honoring those involved in military takeovers undermines constitutional values.
This debate is not new discussions about the airport’s name have been ongoing for years, resurfacing whenever national conversations about history and identity become prominent.
Who Was Lt-Gen Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka?
Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka (1926–1967) was a senior Ghanaian military officer. In February 1966, he was one of the key figures in the military coup that overthrew Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah. This coup ended Nkrumah’s government and installed the National Liberation Council (NLC).
Kotoka was later killed in April 1967 during an attempted counter-coup known as Operation Guitar Boy. The Ghana airport was renamed in his honor in 1969 under the General Kotoka Trust Act.
Hero or Traitor? How Views Differ
There is no single answer opinions depend on how people interpret history and constitutional values.
Seen by Some as a Hero
Some argue that:
Kotoka was a prominent military leader whose death marked a significant moment in Ghana’s post-independence history.
The renaming originally was not intended to glorify coups but to memorialize his role and sacrifice similar to how societies remember complex historical figures.
Supporters of this view might point out that many aspects of Ghana’s political history involve military figures who played influential roles during formative periods.
Viewed by Others as a Traitor
Critics see Kotoka as:
One of the architects of the 1966 coup that overthrew a democratically elected government.
Someone whose commemoration at Ghana’s principal international gateway contradicts the democratic ideals enshrined in the 1992 Constitution, which criminalizes unconstitutional changes of government.
Political leaders, commentators, and civil society groups including the Convention People’s Party and Democracy Hub have openly described honoring Kotoka with the airport name as inappropriate and historically insensitive.
Some, like former MP Ras Mubarak, have explicitly called Kotoka a traitor undeserving of such an honor.
Why It Matters for Ghana Today
This debate isn’t just about a name on a building. It reflects deeper themes about how Ghana remembers its past, and how history should be reconciled with constitutional democracy and national identity.
For some, restoring the name Accra International Airport is a way to reaffirm Ghana’s democratic ethos and respect for civilian governance.
For others, it is an overreaction, potentially incurring unnecessary costs and dragging politics into areas that should be patriotic rather than partisan.
Regardless of perspective, the controversy has stimulated conversations about heritage, justice, and how nations choose which historical figures to honor in public spaces.
Mustapha Bature Sallama.
Medical/ Science Communicator,
Private Investigator, Criminal investigation and Intelligence Analysis.
International Conflict Management and Peace Building.USIP
[email protected]
+233-555-275-880
