Minister for Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has defended the government’s plans to rename Kotoka International Airport (KIA) as Accra International Airport, stressing that the decision is not politically motivated.
According to the minister, the airport’s history predates its current name. It initially served as an air force base during the Second World War for transporting soldiers and weapons, before being converted into a civilian airport under the Kwame Nkrumah administration and named Accra International Airport.
Speaking during a tour of the State Transport Company, Mr. Nikpe explained that the proposed bill is part of a broader legislative agenda by the Ministry of Transport, aimed at reinforcing the location identity of Ghana’s capital city.
“Parliament will be expected to pass many bills, and as part of the government’s agenda, we have a number of bills from the Ministry of Transport. One of them is the renaming of Kotoka International Airport to its original name,” he said.
He added that the move carries broader cultural significance beyond Ghana’s borders.
“Renaming the airport to Accra International Airport is of significant importance to the Ghanaian people and, by extension, the African identity. This is not a political decision; we are approaching it from a neutral and historical perspective,” he emphasized.
