Renaming Kotoka International Airport: A misplaced priority Ghana must firmly reject

I have taken note of reports indicating the intention of the Majority Leader, through the Ministry of Transport, to introduce a bill in Parliament seeking to rename Kotoka International Airport as Accra International Airport.

As Volta Regional Commissioner to the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), I must state clearly and firmly that this proposal represents a misplaced policy priority and must be resisted in the national interest.

In the course of my work, I travel across different regions of the world and pass through many international airports. A consistent global practice is evident: airports are often named after individuals, statesmen, reformers, and heroic citizens — not as casual symbolism, but to reflect history, identity, and national purpose. These names have not hindered efficiency, competitiveness, or global recognition. On the contrary, they coexist seamlessly with world-class performance.

International airports are not mere symbols; they are strategic economic assets. Their value is determined by efficiency, safety, connectivity, cost competitiveness, cargo capacity, and their ability to attract airlines, trade, tourism, and investment. A change in name does not improve operational performance, reduce costs, expand routes, or increase passenger or cargo volumes. It delivers no measurable economic benefit.

The unavoidable policy question therefore remains: what national problem does this renaming solve?

At a time of fiscal strain, rising public debt, and intense pressure on public investment, the absence of any clearly defined economic, operational, or financial justification makes this proposal deeply concerning.

Renaming a major international airport is not cost-free. It requires parliamentary time, administrative capacity, and rebranding and system updates across global aviation, logistics, and digital platforms. Every cedi and every unit of institutional focus devoted to symbolic change is capacity diverted from urgent priorities: improving safety systems, passenger experience, cargo handling, and positioning Accra as a competitive regional aviation hub.

Kotoka International Airport is already firmly embedded in international aviation systems. Stability and predictability are assets in global air transport. Many countries deliberately retain long-established airport names while directing reform energy toward efficiency, service quality, and commercial competitiveness. Ghana should do the same.

This proposal also raises a wider governance concern. Public confidence is strengthened when government action is clearly aligned with national development priorities and sequenced according to urgency and impact. When initiatives of limited apparent economic value are advanced amid far more pressing national challenges, citizens are right to question the seriousness of our policy focus.

Ghana’s aviation sector requires reforms that matter: lower operating costs, improved efficiency, expanded cargo and logistics capacity, and a coherent strategy to position Accra as a true West African hub. These are the interventions that generate growth, jobs, and foreign exchange — not cosmetic renaming exercises.

For these reasons, I strongly and unequivocally call on the Volta Caucus in Parliament, Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Volta-based diaspora organisations, and all Voltarians at home and abroad to firmly reject this needless proposal. I also urge the wider Ghanaian public to insist on policy discipline and economic seriousness.

National development is driven by performance, competitiveness, and results, not by changes in designation. Ghana cannot afford distractions. This proposal must be firmly rejected so that national attention remains focused on economic recovery and sustainable growth.