Princess Avenyoh
Anti-corruption advocate, Vitus Azeem wants the government to rename Kotoka International Airport (KIA). He says the airport should be named after Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
According to him, national landmarks should honour those who helped build Ghana. He believes Dr. Nkrumah’s role in Ghana’s independence makes him more deserving of the recognition.
Speaking to Citi news on Tuesday July 16, Azeem said naming the airport after General Kotoka is wrong. Kotoka was involved in the 1966 military coup that removed Nkrumah from power.
“We should name important places after people who moved Ghana forward. That’s why I suggest naming the airport after Kwame Nkrumah,” he said.
He added that many Ghanaians support this change. He mentioned Cardinal Peter Turkson, who recently questioned why Ghana honours people who overthrew democratic governments.
Azeem believes the change can be made easily. He said if Parliament agrees, the renaming could happen without delay. More importantly, he said the change would honour Nkrumah’s legacy.
“Nkrumah didn’t only shape Ghana. He inspired freedom movements across Africa,” he said. “Countries like Kenya and Tanzania have named their airports after Jomo Kenyatta and Julius Nyerere. Why not Ghana?”
He also said naming the airport after Kotoka goes against Ghana’s democratic values. He called for reflection on who the country chooses to honour.
“How many Ghanaians even remember the 1966 coup?” he asked. “Most people only know it stopped Nkrumah’s development plans. This is about historical justice.”
Who was Kotoka?
Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kotoka helped lead the 1966 coup that removed Dr. Nkrumah. At the time, Nkrumah was on a trip outside the country.
After the coup, Kotoka became a Major General. He joined the ruling National Liberation Council. He was also Commissioner for Health and head of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Kotoka was later killed in a counter-coup on April 17, 1967. Not long after, the Ghana International Airport was renamed Kotoka International Airport in his memory.
Azeem’s comments add to a wider national conversation. Ghanaians continue to debate how the country honours its past and who deserves to be remembered.