Democracy Hub, CPP go to Supreme Court seeking removal of 'Kotoka" from Ghana's Airport
By DL News
Published
1 min read
The group contends that honoring Lieutenant-General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka with such a significant national landmark contradicts Ghana’s democratic values.
A social advocacy group, Democracy Hub, in partnership with the Convention People’s Party (CPP), has taken legal action at Ghana’s Supreme Court, seeking the removal of the name "Kotoka" from the country’s international airport.
The group contends that honoring Lieutenant-General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka with such a significant national landmark contradicts Ghana’s democratic values, given his involvement in the country's first military coup in 1966.
Lieutenant-General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, born on September 26, 1926, and killed on April 17, 1967, was a Ghanaian military leader and a member of the National Liberation Council, the regime that assumed power following the coup of February 24, 1966. This coup resulted in the overthrow of Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
Democracy Hub and the CPP argue that the designation of Kotoka International Airport under the General Kotoka Trust Decree, 1969 (NLCD 339), represents a government-endorsed recognition of unconstitutional rule. They believe that renaming the airport would reaffirm Ghana’s commitment to upholding democracy.
The legal challenge, backed by attorneys from Merton & Everett LLP, is based on extensive research into historical records and legal precedents.
As part of their campaign, Democracy Hub is urging civil society organizations, youth groups, and advocates of democratic governance to support the case. They describe it as more than a legal battle—rather, a critical moment for national reflection on Ghana’s past.
