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Attorney-General says Kotoka International Airport remains the legal name
•2 min read•1 source
The Attorney-General has informed the Supreme Court that the country’s primary aviation hub continues to be legally recognized as Kotoka International Airport. This statement comes in response to a legal challenge regarding government efforts to rename the facility to Accra International Airport. The state has clarified that the legislative process required for such a change is not yet complete, meaning no official name change has occurred under current statutory law.
The legal dispute was initiated by Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers, who filed a lawsuit challenging the attempt to rename the airport without first amending existing legislation. The plaintiff argues that the renaming cannot proceed without a formal amendment to the General Kotoka Trust Decree (NLCD 231). This decree established the trust and the name of the facility in honor of Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, and the lawsuit contends that any change must follow a specific legal repeal or amendment process.
In the state's defense, the Attorney-General emphasized that the renaming of the airport is a matter that must go through Parliament. The government asserts that the necessary legislative actions are currently underway but have not reached a conclusion. Until a new Bill is passed by the legislature and receives the relevant assent, the airport’s legal designation remains Kotoka International Airport, and the government maintains that no provisions of the existing trust decree have been violated yet.
Beyond the statutory arguments, the Attorney-General has also raised a preliminary objection regarding the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction over the matter. The state contends that the dispute is fundamentally a statutory issue rather than a constitutional one, suggesting the apex court may not be the appropriate forum for the challenge. As the case remains pending before the court, the airport continues to operate under its long-standing name while the legislative process remains ongoing.