The Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, widely known as A Plus, has publicly supported the government’s proposal to rename Kotoka International Airport in Accra. In a strong statement, he described the current name as inappropriate and went further to label Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, after whom the airport is named, as an “enemy of the state.” His comments have stirred fresh debate about how national history should be remembered and honoured.
A Plus explained that the airport’s name carries painful historical memories for many Ghanaians because Kotoka was one of the military officers who played a key role in a coup that overthrew Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah. He said that this part of history should not be celebrated, and that naming the country’s main international gateway after Kotoka was inappropriate given the impact of that event on Ghana’s democratic journey.
Beyond simply changing the name, A Plus argued that the legacy of Kotoka should be critically examined and that his actions should not be glorified, even in death. He insisted that renaming the airport would be a symbolic step toward honouring values many citizens hold today and toward realigning national symbols with the aspirations of the modern state.
The push to rename Kotoka International Airport comes amid broader discussions about national identity and historical recognition. Some voices in public discourse have supported such changes, saying that the names of major institutions should reflect unity, progress and democratic values rather than figures associated with violent political change. Others have argued that removing the name risks erasing parts of the nation’s historical record and that public consensus should be sought before making such decisions.
These comments follow recent conversations in Ghana about how historical figures are remembered in public spaces and whether national landmarks should carry names linked to controversial pasts. The debate highlights tensions between preserving historical memory and reimagining national symbols for the future.
