Government to Rename Kotoka International Airport

The Government of Ghana is preparing to lay a bill in Parliament to rename Kotoka International Airport (KIA) as Accra International Airport, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has announced.

The proposed legislation is expected to be introduced during the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament and will be presented by the Minister for Transport for parliamentary consideration.

Addressing journalists ahead of the resumption of parliamentary sittings, the Majority Leader said the name change will be carried out through a formal legislative process, in line with constitutional requirements governing public institutions.

According to him, the bill forms part of a broader legislative agenda scheduled for the current session of Parliament.

Kotoka International Airport was originally known as Accra International Airport before it was renamed after Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, a central figure in Ghana’s 1966 coup.

Government officials say the proposed change seeks to reflect Ghana’s democratic values and restore the airport’s original identity. The renaming, once approved, will require parliamentary consent before it takes legal effect.

Once laid, the bill will be subjected to parliamentary debate and scrutiny before a final decision is taken. The Majority Leader indicated that the Transport Minister will also present additional transport-related bills during the session covering aviation, maritime safety, and road transport regulation.

The announcement has triggered mixed reactions across the political and civil space. While some stakeholders view the move as a symbolic reset aligned with national history and democratic governance, others argue that attention should remain focused on infrastructure development and economic priorities.

Parliamentary debate on the bill is expected to shape the final outcome in the coming weeks.