These are some personalities who want the airport to be renamed
The announcement by the Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, that the government plans to rename the Kotoka International Airport to Accra International Airport has generated mixed reactions from Ghanaians, both among those in authority and among ordinary citizens.
While addressing journalists on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, ahead of the resumption of sitting of Parliament, Ayariga said a bill would soon be laid in Parliament by the Minister of Transport to effect the change.
“We are changing the name of our airport from Kotoka International Airport to Accra International Airport. A bill will be brought by the Minister of Transport to facilitate this change. The Accra International Airport Bill will also come,” he said.
Following his comments, there have been reactions from both notable persons and some members of the public.
This GhanaWeb listicle highlights the notable individuals who have expressed their support for the renaming move by the government.
1. Kwame Asare Obeng (A Plus)
The Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus, has endorsed the government's decision to rename Kotoka International Airport back to Accra International Airport
According to him, Kotoka's role in the 1966 military coup that overthrew Ghana's first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, derailed the country's development, therefore, his decision to support the renaming.
2. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has also expressed strong support for the government’s decision to rename Kotoka International Airport, describing the move as long overdue.
According to him, the renaming plan represents an important step toward reclaiming Ghana’s national symbols to reflect the country’s values and heritage.
3. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, has also voiced his support for plans to rename the airport.
He described the move as a step in the right direction, emphasising the need to rename it Accra International Airport.
4. Samia Nkrumah
Former Member of Parliament for Jomoro and daughter of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Samia Nkrumah, has consistently supported calls to remove Kotoka’s name from the airport.
She maintains that it is historically inconsistent for Ghana to honour, at such a symbolic site, a figure linked to the overthrow of the country’s first democratically elected government.
5. Kwesi Pratt Jnr
Veteran journalist and Managing Editor of The Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has openly backed the renaming campaign.
He has described the current name as a reminder of a painful chapter in Ghana’s political history and has urged the state to take steps to correct what he sees as a long-standing anomaly.
6. Vitus Azeem
The anti-corruption campaigner has also added his voice to the debates, calling for the airport to be renamed in honour of Dr Kwame Nkrumah instead.
According to him, national monuments and institutions should celebrate figures who contributed positively to Ghana’s independence and development, and not the other way around.
7. Kwaku Sintim-Misa (KSM)
The media personality and satirist has publicly criticised the continued use of the Kotoka name, describing it as an affront to Ghana’s history.
KSM has argued that successive governments have failed to confront the symbolism of honouring a coup leader at the country’s main international airport.
8. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah
The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), popularly known as ‘General Mosquito,’ has also weighed in, questioning why the airport is named after Kotoka despite his lack of direct involvement in its development.
He supports efforts to rename the facility in line with national values and historical consistency.
9. Steven Nhyira Odarteifio
Convener of an ongoing campaign to rename Kotoka International Airport, Steven Odarteifio, has been at the forefront of this recent advocacy.
He argues that an airport is a powerful national symbol and should reflect Ghana’s founding ideals rather than commemorate a coup-era figure.
VKB/AE
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