Asante Bediatuo Argues Against Renaming Kotoka International Airport
- Nana Asante Bediatuo has criticised the government's plan to change the name of the Kotoka International Airport
- Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, disclosed that the change would be effected through legislation to be laid by the Minister for Transport
- The airport was named after one of the soldiers who overthrew Kwame Nkrumah, Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka
Nana Asante Bediatuo, the Executive Secretary to former President Nana Akufo-Addo when he was in office, has criticised the government's plan to rename the Kotoka International Airport.
He does not believe that Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka being a putschist is grounds enough to be stripped of the honour of having the airport named after him.
Source: Facebook
Speaking on Asempa FM on February 4, 2026, Bediatuo argued that Kotoka was a symbol of freedom at the time of the coup that overthrew Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah.
"If that is what the government wants to do, fine. But the freedom we have in our democracy is so important, unless we don't rate it that highly. It is so important; it is the lifeblood of society, of any republic, to have freedom, to have freedom of expression, freedom of movement, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press.
"Those are important. And I think in liberating ourselves from the 1966 regime of the CPP and Dr Nkrumah, it is an important statement that Ghanaians want this freedom. And I think that is what Kotoka represents."
About Kotoka and his coup
Kotoka rose to become the Second-in-Command and, in 1959, became the Platoon Commander with the rank of Captain.
In 1965, the then Lieutenant-Colonel Kotoka was transferred to Kumasi, where he met and became friends with then Major Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa, an officer in the Second Brigade of the Ghana army.
The two are generally credited with being among the key conspirators behind the first bloody coup d'état in Ghana on February 24, 1966, which brought an end to the First Republic. They codenamed it "Operation Cold Chop".
Source: Getty Images
It was Kotoka who announced the coup to the nation early that morning from the Broadcasting House of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, the official radio station in Ghana.
On 17 April 1967, there was an abortive coup attempt involving junior officers of the reconnaissance regiment located at Ho in the Volta Region, which led to the killing of Kotoka by Lt. Moses Yeboah after heavy fighting.
The Ghana International Airport was renamed Kotoka International Airport in his memory.
He was killed at a spot which is now part of the forecourt of the airport and his statue stood at that point.
Afenyo-Markin, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah debate renaming
The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, and the MP for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who are both stalwarts of the NPP, have offered differing views in reaction to the proposed renaming of KIA.
According to Afenyo-Markin, the renaming of the airport would not sit well with the family and loved ones of the former Ghanaian army general, as well as with the chiefs and elders of the Volta Region, where he hailed.
But Nkrumah described the proposal as a good idea and a step in the right direction.
Source: YEN.com.gh
