The government has unveiled plans to rename Ghana’s main aviation gateway, Kotoka International Airport (KIA), to Accra International Airport.
The announcement was made by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga during a leadership media briefing held ahead of the Ninth Parliament’s resumption on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
Ayariga revealed that the proposed name change would be formalized through legislation to be introduced in Parliament by the Minister for Transport. “We are changing the name of our airport from Kotoka International Airport to Accra International Airport. A bill will be brought by the Minister for Transport for the name to be changed,” he stated.
This move follows years of advocacy by civil society organizations and members of the public who argue that the current name, which honors General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, a leader in the 1966 coup that toppled Ghana’s first government, does not align with the country’s democratic ideals.
Ayariga noted that the renaming is part of a broader legislative agenda for the new parliamentary session. The Minister for Transport is also expected to introduce several bills, including the Maritime Offences Bill and the Road Traffic Bill, which will address issues such as the legalization and regulation of commercial motorcycle operations, popularly known as okada, as well as the Ghana Shippers Council Regulation Bill.
Parliament is set to debate the airport’s proposed name change and other transport-related legislation in the coming session, marking a significant step in Ghana’s ongoing efforts to align national symbols with contemporary values.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
