The Attorney-General has defended the government’s decision to restore the original name of Kotoka International Airport, arguing that the ongoing renaming process does not amount to a breach of the Constitution.

The government’s position has emerged in response to a legal challenge filed at the Supreme Court by private legal practitioner Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers, who is questioning the decision to rename the airport Accra International Airport without first amending or repealing the General Kotoka Trust Decree, 1969 (NLCD 339).

In its response, the Attorney-General maintains that the decree remains in force and that the airport’s legal name under Ghanaian law is still Kotoka International Airport.

The government argues that the announcement made by the Ministry of Transport in February 2026 did not, by itself, complete the legal process required to change the airport’s official name.

Government says legislative process is still ongoing

According to the government’s court filing, the proposed Accra International Airport Bill, 2026, has received Cabinet approval and has been signed by the Minister for Transport.

However, the Bill has not yet been laid before Parliament for consideration and approval.

The Attorney-General says further legal and administrative steps are required before the renaming can take full legal effect. These include any necessary changes to statutory instruments, official documents, airport signage, digital platforms and aviation publications.

The government has therefore maintained that the General Kotoka Trust Decree remains fully operative and that it has not been repealed or amended.

It has also denied interfering with the trust established in honour of the late Lieutenant-General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, insisting that no beneficiary has been deprived of any benefits under the arrangement.

Attorney-General challenges the Supreme Court case

The Attorney-General is also challenging the basis on which the case was brought before the Supreme Court.

It argues that the plaintiff’s complaint is essentially about an alleged breach of the General Kotoka Trust Decree, which the government considers a statutory matter rather than a genuine question of constitutional interpretation or enforcement.

The government further contends that the action is premature because Parliament has not yet considered the proposed Bill.

It argues that granting the injunctions requested by the plaintiff could interrupt the legislative process before Parliament has had the opportunity to perform its constitutional role.

Background to the airport’s renaming

Ghana’s main international airport was originally known as Accra International Airport before it was renamed Kotoka International Airport in 1969 in honour of Lieutenant-General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka.

On February 23, 2026, the Ministry of Transport announced the government’s decision to restore the facility’s original name, Accra International Airport.

The announcement generated public debate, with supporters and critics expressing different views about the historical significance of the name and the legal process required to make the change.

The government initially explained that the decision was based on historical considerations and that the restoration could be implemented through executive action.

However, the subsequent court challenge has brought the legal status of the name into question.

What happens next?

The Accra International Airport Bill, 2026, is expected to go before Parliament as part of the process outlined by the government.

The Supreme Court is yet to determine the case filed by Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers.

Until the necessary legislative process is completed or the court makes a determination, the Attorney-General maintains that Kotoka International Airport remains the airport’s legal name under Ghanaian law.

The case is expected to clarify the legal requirements for changing the name of a major public facility and the relationship between Executive action and existing legislation in Ghana.

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