In the heart of Accra stands Ghana’s premier international gateway, Kotoka International Airport (KIA); a name that has sparked unease, discomfort, and reflection among many Ghanaians. As President John Dramani Mahama spearheads the “Resetting Ghana” agenda; restoring economic hope, national dignity, and infrastructural renewal, it is time we also reset the symbolism etched in the names of our national monuments. There is no better place to begin this symbolic reset than with the renaming of our international airport.
The naming of Ghana’s most important port of entry after Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka is historically and morally questionable. General Kotoka was a central figure in the 1966 military coup that toppled the democratically elected government of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President and foremost Pan-Africanist. That coup did not merely disrupt a government; it disrupted a vision. It halted Ghana’s accelerated industrialization, delayed crucial economic and social reforms, and dragged the country into cycles of instability and dependency.
Naming the airport after Kotoka, therefore, raises fundamental questions: What are we choosing to remember? Who are we honouring? What values do we want to enshrine at the literal and symbolic gateway to our country?
Dr. Nkrumah, despite his flaws, remains one of Africa’s most accomplished and visionary leaders. He built the Akosombo Dam, established hundreds of schools and technical colleges, set up industrial ventures and championed a Pan-African unity that earned Ghana international acclaim. Kotoka, by contrast, represents a moment of national betrayal; a soldier who, whether knowingly or unknowingly, became the instrument through which Ghana’s rise was truncated.
It is time we stopped rewarding the agents of regression.
Under President John Mahama’s leadership, Ghana is on the path of economic, diplomatic, and psychological renewal. The Ghana cedi, which suffered dramatic depreciation in recent years, has stabilized impressively, now standing among the strongest currencies in Africa. Inflation is dropping, the prices of goods and services have become more manageable, and there is a sense of economic direction and national confidence that was absent in the years prior. The country has emerged as a regional beacon, attracting not only investment but admiration. From Nigerians to Togolese, from Sierra Leoneans to Cameroonians, there is growing interest in moving to Ghana; not just for economic gain but for the promise of stability, opportunity, and dignity.
One of the most profound indicators of national progress is the reversal of brain drain. During the difficult years of the previous administration, thousands of Ghanaian youth filled KIA seeking greener pastures abroad. Today, many are considering coming back. The country, under Mahama, has become more habitable. The youth see opportunities. They see hope. They see a future.
It is only right that as we reset Ghana, we also reset its symbols. Renaming Kotoka International Airport is not an act of vengeance; it is an act of national clarity. The airport should honour someone who contributed meaningfully to Ghana’s rise, not someone who derailed its progress. Whether we name it after Nkrumah, another national hero, or simply opt for a neutral name like Accra International Airport, the goal is to reflect Ghana’s pride and aspirations; not its historical missteps.
This is not just about a name on a signpost; it is about the soul of the nation. Every time a traveler walks through KIA, they are greeted by a name that evokes a painful chapter. We cannot claim to move forward while holding onto symbols of our backward steps. We cannot preach progress while preserving the legacy of regression.
President Mahama’s reset agenda offers a powerful opportunity to correct course; not just economically, but historically and culturally. Let us take that opportunity. Let us align our symbols with our values. Let us name our airport not in honour of a coup, but in celebration of progress.
It is time to rename Kotoka International Airport. Many have made this request in the past but it did not material but the time is now to reset the skies too.
SAVIOUR GOKAH,
KPOTA,
ANYAKO, V R
