The proposal to rename Kotoka International Airport has ignited a heated debate over Ghana’s political history and the legacy of its first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Media personality Paul Adom-Ochere, speaking on Joy Newsfile on Saturday, February 7, 2026, argued that the renaming is less about aviation infrastructure and more about settling political scores related to Nkrumah’s legacy.
“If you look at it critically, what all this is about is settling political scores. It has nothing to do with renaming an airport,” Adom-Ochere said, asserting that the debate centres on the sanctity and perceived infallibility of Dr. Nkrumah. He noted that since Nkrumah’s death, the first president has become a larger-than-life figure in Ghanaian political memory.
Adom-Ochere referenced a 2000 survey by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), in which university students in Ghana compared Nkrumah to Nelson Mandela. “We didn’t understand how the African story of the century could be told without recognising the fight against colonialism and imperialism, which Nkrumah championed,” he said, adding that the survey helped elevate Nkrumah to an almost mythic status.
The commentator highlighted that former President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration, since 2017, has emphasised Ghana’s historical narratives, particularly during Independence Day celebrations. Adom-Ochere suggested that the current push to rename Kotoka Airport is part of efforts to fully rehabilitate Nkrumah’s image on the 60th anniversary of his overthrow. “Kotoka’s name on such an important national edifice is the remaining vestige of a nemesis to Nkrumah’s legacy,” he said.
The discussion also touched on criticisms of the process. Figures such as Ambassador Kwesi Pratt have raised concerns that the debate could take on ethnic undertones, though Adom-Ochere argued that the issue is strictly political. He contended that the renaming is framed as a response to claims that Kotoka was a coup maker, while shifting narratives and selective historical accounts are influencing public perception.
Adom-Ochere also examined Nkrumah’s tenure between 1960 and 1966, citing constitutional amendments and legal measures that expanded presidential powers. He referenced the 1964 amendment to the 1960 constitution, which allowed Nkrumah to dismiss judges, change the national flag, ban political parties, and imprison citizens under the Preventive Detention Act (PDA). He described the PDA as a tool that enabled arrests without court oversight, a “fundamental departure from the processes of criminal jurisprudence,” reflecting the authoritarian aspects of Nkrumah’s rule.
“Because we are not accustomed to our history, many Ghanaians today, including those who were not born at the time, are unaware of these realities,” Adom-Ochere said. He emphasised that the PDA, initially established in 1958, was used extensively from 1961 to 1964, creating a climate of fear throughout the country.
Adom-Ochere concluded that while renaming the airport may be politically symbolic, it underscores a broader debate over historical memory and national identity. He warned that the issue is less about an airport and more about how Ghana reconciles the complex legacy of its first president with contemporary politics.