Steven Odarteifio, a concerned citizen, has reignited calls for Ghana to reconsider the name of its international airport, urging authorities to remove the name “Kotoka” from the nation’s main gateway to the world.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, January 19, 2026, at the Airport View Hotel in Accra, Mr. Odarteifio launched an advocacy campaign to rename the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), arguing that the current name does not reflect Ghana’s founding values or national conscience.
According to him, no country should name its principal international gateway after a figure chiefly associated with the overthrow of a democratically elected government.
He described an airport as more than an infrastructure facility, but rather “the nation’s handshake” and the first point of contact between Ghana and the world.
Mr. Odarteifio recalled that February 24, 2026, will mark 60 years since the overthrow of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President and founder of the Republic.
He noted that Lt.-Gen. Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, one of the key figures in the 1966 coup, was killed at the Accra International Airport during a failed counter-coup in April 1967, after which the airport was renamed in his honour.
He questioned the appropriateness of maintaining the name, stating that Ghana’s gateway to the world ended up bearing the name of a coup-era figure rather than one that represents the country’s independence struggle and founding story.
“How can we, as a people, continue to honour the memory of overthrow at the very door of the Republic?” he asked.
Mr. Odarteifio stressed that millions of passengers pass through the airport each year, including an estimated 3.4 million in 2024 alone, many of whom are members of the Ghanaian diaspora drawn home by the country’s independence history and the legacy of Dr. Nkrumah.
He argued that repeatedly projecting the name “Kotoka International Airport” to travellers worldwide sends the wrong message about Ghana’s values and history.
He further noted that the statue of Lt.-Gen. Kotoka was removed from the airport’s forecourt in October 2000 and has not been reinstated under successive governments, suggesting that the airport’s name itself could also be reconsidered.
Comparing Ghana with other African countries, Mr. Odarteifio pointed out that many nations have named their major airports after founding leaders whose legacies unite their people, citing examples such as Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Kenya, Julius Nyerere International Airport in Tanzania, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Nigeria.
He proposed that Ghana’s international airport be renamed after Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, describing him as Africa’s most globally recognised independence symbol and the BBC’s Africa Personality of the Millennium.
As part of the advocacy, Mr. Odarteifio announced plans to submit a formal petition to Parliament, including the Speaker, leadership of the House, and the Ministers responsible for Transport and Foreign Affairs.
He also called on the Judiciary to provide constitutional clarity on ongoing legal actions, and appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders and civil society groups to lend their moral voices to the cause.
He acknowledged the efforts of groups and individuals such as Democracy Hub, Madam Samia Nkrumah, Mr. Kwesi Pratt Jnr., and Mr. Kweku Sintim-Misa for bringing national attention to the issue.
Appealing directly to President John Dramani Mahama, Mr. Odarteifio urged him to consider renaming the airport as part of his legacy, saying the move would help settle what he described as a long-standing national contradiction.
“Let Ghana’s international gateway speak one clear sentence to the world – Kwame Nkrumah International Airport.”
Actor, director, satirist, talk show host, and author Kwaku Sintim-Misa aka “KSM” strongly believe the call was in the right direction.
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