Joseph Bukari Nikpe is the Minister of Transport
Minister of Transport Joseph Bukari Nikpe has defended the government’s decision to rename Kotoka International Airport, saying the move is part of a broader restructuring effort and not driven by politics.
Speaking to journalists during a working visit to the State Transport Corporation on Wednesday, February 3, 2026, the minister explained that the proposed change to Accra International Airport is intended to restore the facility to a neutral and geographically grounded name.
“This has nothing to do with politics; Accra is our capital city. It doesn’t belong to any individual, and naming the airport after the capital is in line with international practice,” he said.
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According to Nikpe, the proposal reflects global standards where major airports are named after capital cities, adding that the decision is aimed at recognising Ghana’s identity rather than causing discomfort or controversy.
“We are not doing this to cause pain or harm to anyone. We are simply looking at the geographical importance of Accra and practices elsewhere in the world,” he noted.
The government, through the Ministry of Transport, is preparing a bill to officially rename the airport.
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga disclosed at a press conference on February 3, 2026, that the bill will soon be laid before Parliament.
The proposed change comes 59 years after Ghana’s main international airport was named Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
NA/VPO
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