Plans to change the name of Kotoka International Airport to Accra International Airport have been firmly defended by the Minister for Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, who says the move is rooted in history and national identity rather than partisan interests.

The minister explained that the facility existed long before it was named after General Emmanuel Kotoka, noting that it originally functioned as a military air base during the Second World War, used for moving troops and equipment. It was later transformed into a civilian airport under the government of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and given the name Accra International Airport.

Speaking during a working visit to the State Transport Company, Mr. Nikpe said the proposed renaming forms part of a wider package of transport-related bills the ministry intends to present to Parliament.

According to him, restoring the airport’s original name is meant to reinforce Accra’s identity as Ghana’s capital and major gateway to the world.

He stressed that the initiative should not be viewed through a political lens, but rather as a historically grounded decision.

Mr. Nikpe further noted that beyond national considerations, the change holds cultural and symbolic importance for Africa as a whole, arguing that reclaiming the airport’s original name aligns with a broader effort to reflect indigenous identity and heritage.

As Parliament prepares to debate the proposal, government officials maintain that the renaming is about history, culture, and national pride—not politics.