Samia Nkrumah Calls for Kotoka International Airport to Revert to Its Original Name
Daughter of Ghana’s first President, Samia Nkrumah, has renewed calls for the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to be renamed, insisting the facility should revert to its original name — Accra International Airport.
Speaking in an interview on JoyNews, Samia emphasized that maintaining the name of General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, who played a key role in the 1966 coup that ousted her father, is historically unjust and undermines Ghana’s Pan-African legacy.
“We are calling for Kotoka International Airport to revert to Accra International Airport. It was never called Kwame Nkrumah Airport,” she clarified.
“Naming it after a person who contributed to our economic stagnation sends the wrong signal.”
A Debate That Won’t Go Away
The airport, constructed during Dr. Nkrumah’s administration, was renamed after General Kotoka following the 1966 coup. Critics argue that this decision glorifies a figure associated with the overthrow of Ghana’s first constitutional government, instead of honouring the leader who initiated the project.
Samia Nkrumah and several Pan-African groups insist the current name dishonours Ghana’s history and democratic values.
Wider Support for Renaming
Her call reflects a growing movement by political leaders, civil society groups, and Pan-African advocates who want the airport renamed after Ghana’s founder.
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The Democracy Hub and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) have filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court seeking to strip Kotoka’s name from the airport.
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Prominent voices such as Asiedu Nketia and Vitus Azeem have echoed similar sentiments, describing the current name as “morally misplaced.”
Government and Parliament’s Position
So far, the government has not made an official move to rename the airport. However, Isaac Adjei Mensah, Chairman of Parliament’s Roads and Transport Committee, has stated that a national dialogue could be considered if the demand from the public grows stronger.
A Call for Historical Justice
For Samia Nkrumah, restoring the airport’s original name is not just symbolic — it is about correcting a historic wrong.
“This is not about erasing history. It is about aligning our state monuments with the values we say we stand for as a democracy and as a Pan-African nation,” she said.
As pressure mounts, the debate over whether Ghana’s premier international gateway should continue to carry Kotoka’s name or honour Nkrumah instead is expected to intensify in the coming months.
Source: My News Ghana
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