The Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Nii Moi Thompson, has backed the government’s decision to rename Kotoka International Airport, describing the move as long overdue and appropriate.
On February 23, the Government of Ghana officially reverted the facility’s name to its original designation — Accra International Airport.
In a statement issued the same day, the Transport Ministry explained that the airport was previously known as Accra International Airport before it was redesignated, and that restoring the original and internationally recognised name was justified.
Reacting to the development in an interview with Bernard Avle on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Wednesday, March 4, Dr Thompson endorsed the decision and noted that the Convention People’s Party (CPP) had long advocated for the change.
“It is the right decision the government finally made. The Convention People’s Party had always advocated that. Some people had said it should be named after Nkrumah, but personally, I wasn’t in favour of it. I think Nkrumah, to a large extent, is synonymous with Ghana. Nkrumah doesn’t really need an airport named after him,” he said.
Dr Thompson’s remarks add to growing public discourse surrounding national monuments and historical memory.
Meanwhile, the Transport Ministry has assured the public that the name change will not affect airport operations, safety standards or international travel arrangements. It noted that in the records of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the airport code has consistently remained “ACC”.
The renaming process will involve the systematic updating of official documentation, statutory instruments where necessary, airport signage, digital platforms, aviation publications and related communication materials.
