Why Ghana Should Rename Its Airport After Nkrumah – Vitus Azeem Explains

Anti-corruption advocate Vitus Azeem is calling on the government to rename the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) after Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, in honour of his monumental role in Ghana’s independence and development.

Azeem argued that national monuments and institutions should reflect the country’s historical journey and pay tribute to leaders who made profound contributions to its progress.

“We need to name important state institutions and assets after people who have contributed significantly to Ghana’s development.

“That is why I suggest renaming the airport after Kwame Nkrumah,” Azeem said on Citi News on Tuesday, July 16.

He referenced the examples of other African nations that have chosen to immortalize their founding leaders through major public landmarks.

“Nkrumah’s influence shaped not just Ghana but inspired liberation movements across Africa.

“We have countries like Kenya and Tanzania naming their international airports after leaders such as Jomo Kenyatta and Julius Nyerere, both of whom admired Nkrumah. Why should Ghana be any different?” he questioned.

Azeem also touched on the historical irony of naming the airport after General Emmanuel Kotoka, one of the key figures in the 1966 coup that overthrew Nkrumah’s government.

“How many Ghanaians today even recall the 1966 coup, except that it disrupted Nkrumah’s visionary development plans? This is a matter of historical justice,” he added

Dr. Kwame Nkrumah led Ghana’s struggle for independence.

He became the country’s first Prime Minister and later, President, after independence in 1957.

He was a pan-Africanist and visionary, central in shaping the identity of post-colonial Africa and championed industrialization, education, and continental unity.

His leadership laid the foundation for Ghana’s key infrastructure and development initiatives, although his administration was toppled in a coup in 1966.

Source: Liberalprint.com