Democracy Hub, CPP sue gov't to demand renaming of Kotoka International Airport

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) and pressure group Democracy Hub have filed a joint lawsuit at the Supreme Court, demanding the renaming of Kotoka International Airport.

According to them, the current name of the airport represents a historical injustice and glorifies the military overthrow of an elected government, arguing that it contradicts the country’s constitution.

The statement reads:

The 1992 Constitution of Ghana firmly rejects coups d'état, making it a duty of every citizen to defend democracy against military interventions. However, for 59 years, Ghana has lived with the contradiction of denouncing coups d'état while continuing to honour one of the architects of the first military overthrow of an elected government.

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The group further argues:

The continued veneration of Lieutenant-General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, whose actions helped overthrow Ghana's 1960 Constitution and derail the country’s democratic progress, is an unacceptable contradiction.

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The naming of Kotoka International Airport, enshrined under the General Kotoka Trust Decree, 1969 (NLCD 339), is a state-sanctioned endorsement of an illegal regime change. It is time for Ghana to make a clear statement that it stands against unconstitutional rule—not just in rhetoric but in practice.

Democracy Hub has also called for public support, stating that the case represents a national reckoning with the past and a reaffirmation of Ghana’s commitment to the rule of law.

About Kotoka International Airport

Kotoka International Airport was originally a military airbase used by the British Royal Air Force during World War II in 1946. The facility was handed over to civilian authorities following the military’s withdrawal. In response to globalisation and the growing demand for air travel at the time, a development project was launched in 1956 to reconfigure the structure into a terminal building.

The completion of the project paved the way for Ghana Airways to use the airport as its base in 1958. Originally designed to accommodate a maximum of 500,000 passengers annually, the facility was renamed Kotoka International Airport in 1969 in memory of the late Lt. General E.K. Kotoka.

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