Political scientist and university lecturer, Dr Kwame Asah-Asante, has described the renewed calls to rename Kotoka International Airport (KIA) as both necessary and long overdue, stating that the name is tied to a painful chapter in Ghana’s political history that still stirs deep emotions.

Speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Dr Asah-Asante noted that the story surrounding the late Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka is one many Ghanaians continue to struggle with.

“I think it is long overdue. When you look at the story behind it, it is a very painful one. That is the place where Kotoka was killed, and all of that history still weighs heavily on people,” he said.

According to him, keeping the airport’s current name constantly reopens old wounds, making the ongoing debate about renaming the facility both timely and unavoidable.

However, Asah-Asante stressed that removing Kotoka’s name from the airport should not be seen as an attempt to erase history. Instead, he argued, the move should form part of a broader national conversation on how the country chooses to remember and properly situate Kotoka’s legacy.

“If we decide to change the name, then we are, in a way, laying that story to rest. After that, the country can find a more appropriate way to honour Kotoka, whether through a monument or another form of recognition that puts his role in a proper context,” he explained.

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He expressed support for the proposal to rename the facility Accra International Airport, describing it as a sensible option that reflects the views of many Ghanaians.

“I believe calling it Accra International Airport is okay, it aligns with a lot of opinions out there,” he said.

Dr Asah-Asante added that Ghana has moved far beyond the events of 1966 and should avoid reopening old political battles that no longer serve the nation’s progress.

“The country has moved on. We don’t need to renew old books or dig too deeply into every detail of that history. At some point, the state must decide how to bring closure and if that means taking his name off the airport and naming it after the capital city, then I think that is fine,” he noted.

NA/VPO