Nana Asante Bediatuo, a prominent Ghanaian lawyer and former Secretary to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has spoken strongly against calls to rename Kotoka International Airport, insisting the name is a powerful national symbol of freedom and liberty. Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, he argued there is no convincing reason to change the airport’s name unless Ghanaians no longer want to uphold core democratic values such as freedom of speech, assembly and the press.
Asante Bediatuo pointed out that Kotoka International Airport has borne its name for more than 60 years and has developed into a globally recognised brand associated with Ghana. He observed that even governments linked to the Convention People’s Party did not alter the name while in power, suggesting that it was previously not seen as a divisive issue.
He cautioned against interpreting the name solely through the historical context of the 1966 coup that removed Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, from power. Asante Bediatuo said reducing the airport’s symbolism to that narrative oversimplifies Ghana’s history and risks reopening old wounds. He stressed that acknowledging the role of Lieutenant Colonel E. K. Kotoka in the country’s political past does not diminish Nkrumah’s achievements or legacy.
According to him, attempts to rename the airport could create unnecessary division in society, whereas keeping the name honours the broader values of liberty that many Ghanaians hold dear. He said supporters of change are the ones “creating division” and that the name has long stood for the freedoms associated with a democratic Ghana.
Asante Bediatuo’s comments add to a national conversation about how historical figures should be remembered and how national monuments should reflect collective identity and values in contemporary Ghana.
