A former security chief who served under Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, has questioned the rationale behind naming the country’s main international airport after Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, a central figure in the 1966 coup that overthrew the Nkrumah government.
According to the former security official, it is contradictory for a national symbol such as Ghana’s primary airport to carry the name of a military officer linked to the removal of an elected government. He argued that airports often serve as the first point of contact for visitors and should reflect national pride, independence, and democratic values rather than political upheaval.
Kotoka International Airport was named in honour of Kotoka following his death during a failed counter coup in 1967. While supporters of the name say it represents a significant moment in Ghana’s military history, critics maintain that Kotoka’s association with the 1966 coup makes the honour inappropriate, particularly given Kwame Nkrumah’s role in securing Ghana’s independence.
The former security chief questioned what national purpose is served by maintaining the current name, stressing that Ghana should carefully consider how it memorialises its history. He suggested that continuing to honour figures linked to coups risks normalising unconstitutional changes of government rather than celebrating democratic leadership and national unity.
The comments come amid renewed public debate over whether the airport should be renamed to honour a figure more closely aligned with Ghana’s independence struggle. Some argue that renaming the airport would be a symbolic step toward historical correction and national reconciliation. Others insist that history should be preserved in its entirety, even when it is uncomfortable.
The debate reflects a broader national conversation about how Ghana remembers its past and the values it chooses to project to the world through public monuments and institutions.
