The real reason behind the renaming of two major state institutions under Mahama

It appears President John Dramani Mahama’s much-touted “Resetting Agenda” is taking shape as his administration has renamed several major institutions in Ghana.

The government has argued that these changes were necessary to realign national symbols and institutions with Ghana’s identity and constitutional values.

This article highlights two of the most notable renaming carried out under the current administration:

From Kotoka International Airport to Accra International Airport

In the month of February, 2026, the Ministry of Transport officially announced the reversion of Kotoka International Airport to its original name, Accra International Airport.

In an official press statement on Monday, February 23, 2026, it stated that the decision is to restore the airport to its former name.

According to the Ministry, the name change will not affect airport operations, safety standards, or international travel arrangements.

"The Ministry hereby informs the general public that the Government of Ghana has officially reverted the name of Kotoka International Airport to its original name, Accra International Airport.

“The facility was originally known as Accra International Airport before its redesignation. The government has considered it appropriate to restore the airport to its former and internationally recognised name," the statement said.

The renaming of Kotoka International Airport did not only come from a government initiative.

Some Ghanaians, both prominent voices and ordinary citizens, also agreed with the decision.

The issue of renaming was formally discussed in Parliament after Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga raised it.

NIB renamed to BNI

It has also been announced that the National Intelligence Bureau has officially been renamed to the Bureau of National Intelligence.

The Government of Ghana, under the leadership of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, renamed the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) in 2020 to align with modern security terminology. It is an internal intelligence agency under the National Security Council.

The renaming was also intended to differentiate the agency from other institutions, though confusion often arose with the National Investment Bank, which shares the same acronym.

The decision, however, was met with mixed reactions. While some welcomed the change, others opposed it.

Despite the debate, the government pressed ahead and changed it from the BNI to the NIB.

In the month of March, Parliament passed the Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025, approving it after its third reading.

The new law reshapes Ghana’s security structure, including restoring the National Investigations Bureau’s (NIB) former name, Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI), to avoid confusion with the similarly named National Investment Bank.

VKB/VPO

Meanwhile, watch as Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe scores Mahama govt high, only next to Nkrumah’s in the video below: