Engineer and Political Analyst, Michael Kosi Dedey, has backed the government’s decision to rename Kotoka International Airport, describing the move as a necessary correction of a historical injustice.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Wednesday, January 4, he affirmed that changing the name of the airport would help clarify Ghana’s firm opposition to coups d’état and dispel any perception that the country endorses unconstitutional changes of government.
According to him, failing to address the issue risks portraying Ghana as a nation that tolerates or celebrates coups, a narrative he believes must be actively corrected. He cautioned against politicising the renaming process, urging the public to engage the matter dispassionately.
“Kotoka didn’t build the airport. He did not leave any infrastructure behind,” Mr Dedey stated, arguing that the continued use of the name is historically misleading.
He further stressed that the renaming exercise should be accompanied by extensive public education to ensure that Ghana’s history is properly understood and preserved. He said students and the wider public must be informed about why the airport was originally named after Kotoka and why the name change has become necessary.
“For me, it is a correction of historical injustice. The change of the name is appropriate, but we must ensure that the history of the country is not misinterpreted or lost. We need a dispassionate discussion so it is not seen as one party versus another,” he said.
The government on Tuesday announced plans to rename Ghana’s international airport from Kotoka International Airport to Accra International Airport with the intention to honour the indigenes of Accra who offered their land for the construction of the facility.
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