A political historian and lawyer, Yaw Anokye-Frimpong, has welcomed government’s move to rename the Kotoka International Airport to Accra International Airport.
it’s been 59 years since the National Liberation Council government changed the name of Ghana’s international airport, from the Accra International Airport to the Kotoka International Airport in honor of Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kotoka.
Kotoka was casualty in a botched coup attempt, on April 17 1967 in what became popularly known as operation Guitar Boy.
Decades down the line, agitations by various groupings have pressured successive governments for a change in the name as the name remains a stark reminder of the overthrow of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga says the Mahama administration is set to change the name into a new one.
Mr Ayariga, disclosed that the change would be effected through legislation to be laid before Parliament by the Minister for Transport.
Speaking to 3FM on February 3, the political historian, Yaw Anokye-Frimpong says, the renaming will not only honor Ghana’s first president but also reflect the growing political consensus in the country.
“We are supposed to bury all things, associated with the revolution, and now that we have a constitutional regime, all things must reflect the new”, he argued
According to him, “the airport was built in the early days by the British and their reign has ended in Ghana, it is just right that we change its name to reflect our current, the renaming will not only be an honor to his name, but also a reflection of political and historical consensus.
Parliament is expected to debate the proposed airport name change and transport-related bills in the course of the new session.
By Grace Hammoah
