The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has welcomed the reported move to rename Kotoka International Airport, arguing that honouring key figures involved in past military coups has negatively affected the country’s political development.
Speaking on the AM show, the party’s National Communications Director, Osei Kofi Acquah, said the continued recognition of Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka reflects what he described as a historical injustice against Ghana’s democratic tradition and the legacy of the country’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
“The reason why the CPP has been suffering for so many years is that we have agreed for the state to name our monuments and institutions after somebody like Kotoka,” he said. “Now, we in the CPP are thanking them very much for considering a change.”
His comments come amid growing public debate over reports that the government, through the Ministry of Transport, intends to introduce a bill in Parliament to rename Kotoka International Airport as Accra International Airport.
The proposal has generated mixed reactions, with some political actors and civil society groups questioning its relevance. In contrast, others see it as an opportunity to correct what they describe as historical wrongs.
Mr Acquah went further to criticise the role of military officers in Ghana’s past coups, particularly those that led to the overthrow of the First, Second, and Third Republics.
“All those who took part in the coups that overthrew the First, Second, and Third Republics should be stripped of their ranks,” he said. “If Kotoka were a lieutenant, he should be made a corporal.”
He argued that members of the armed forces are meant to serve civilian governments, not replace them, stressing that military interventions in politics have undermined democratic governance.
“Soldiers are supposed to work for the government, not be government,” he added.
Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka was a leading figure in the 1966 coup that toppled Dr Nkrumah’s government. Kotoka International Airport, Ghana’s main international gateway, was later named in his honour. The decision has remained controversial, particularly among supporters of the CPP, which traces its roots to Nkrumah’s political tradition.
Earlier, Dr Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, Volta Regional Commissioner at the National Development Planning Commission, described the proposal as a “misplaced policy priority,” arguing that it offers no tangible economic benefit.
However, Mr Acquah insisted that the debate goes beyond economics and touches on national values and historical accountability.
According to him, continuing to honour coup leaders sends the wrong message to younger generations about leadership and patriotism.
“The state must recognise those who defended democracy, not those who sabotaged it,” he said.
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