Volta Regional NDPC Commissioner Rejects Kotoka Airport Renaming
The Volta Regional Commissioner of the National Development Planning Commission, Elikplim Kwabla Akpetorgbor, has rejected the government’s plan to rename the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) as a misplaced national priority.
According to him, the move must be resisted in national interest.
In a statement, he posited that airports are often named after individuals, statesmen, reformers, and heroic citizens, not as casual symbolism, but to reflect history, identity, and national purpose.
“These names have not hindered efficiency, competitiveness, or global recognition. On the contrary, they coexist seamlessly with world-class performance.”
He argued that international airports are not mere symbols but strategic economic assets with thier values determined by efficiency, safety, connectivity, cost competitiveness, cargo capacity, and their ability to attract airlines, trade, tourism, and investment.
He therefore insisted that a change in name does not improve operational performance, reduce costs, expand routes, or increase passenger or cargo volumes.
“It delivers no measurable economic benefit. The unavoidable policy question therefore remains: what national problem does this renaming solve?” he questioned.
He further drew attention to the cost factor of the decision.
“Renaming a major international airport is not cost-free. It requires parliamentary time, administrative capacity, and rebranding and system update expenses across global aviation, logistics, and digital platforms. Every cedi and every unit of institutional focus devoted to symbolic change is capacity diverted from urgent priorities, improving safety systems, passenger experience, cargo handling, and positioning Accra as a competitive regional aviation hub.
“Kotoka International Airport is already firmly embedded in international aviation systems. Stability and predictability are assets in global air transport. Many countries deliberately retain long-established airport names while directing reform energy toward efficiency, service quality, and commercial competitiveness. Ghana should do the same.”
Instead of a name change, he suggested that the government rather focus on lowering operating costs, improving efficiency, expanding cargo and logistics capacity, and a coherent strategy to position Accra as a true West African hub.
“These are the interventions that generate growth, jobs, and foreign exchange, not cosmetic renaming exercises.”
On Tuesday, the Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, announced a bill to change the name of the KIA to Accra International Airport.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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