The Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has stated that renaming the Kotoka International Airport does not require parliamentary approval, explaining that the airport was originally named through a decree issued in 1969.
Responding to calls for a bill to give legal backing to the decision, the Minister said such demands are misplaced. He noted that airport renaming in Ghana has historically been carried out through executive instruments, referencing similar actions taken in the past with the Kumasi and Tamale airports.
Speaking to the press in Parliament after delivering a statement on the official renaming, Mr. Nikpe stressed that there is no legal basis for Parliament to be involved in the process.
Providing historical context, he explained that the airport’s name was linked to NLCD 309, a decree that established a trust to support the families of Kotoka and other soldiers who were killed at the time.
“You will recall that it was as a result of NLCD 309, a decree introduced to set up a trust to support the families of Kotoka and other soldiers who were killed. He was killed at the forecourt of the airport,” the Minister said.
He emphasised that the primary purpose of the decree was to create a welfare trust for the affected families, and that the renaming of the airport was simply a way to honour him.
“If you examine the decree, its intention was to establish a trust to care for the families of the soldiers who were killed. They chose to honour him by naming the airport after him. The main objective of the decree was to establish a trust,” he explained.
Addressing concerns about the need for legislative action, Mr. Nikpe maintained that no law was passed by Parliament to formalise the original naming, and therefore there is nothing for Parliament to amend or repeal.
“There was no legislation in Parliament to operationalise it. So there is nothing for Parliament to amend or legislate on. It was an executive order issued to recognise someone who was killed at the forecourt of the airport,” he said.
According to the Minister, the appropriate procedure for reversing the name is also through an executive action, not legislation.
“The proper approach is for us to make another executive announcement reverting the airport to its original name,” he stated.
He added that the renaming has already taken effect and that the updated name will soon appear on official documents and airport signage.
