The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has strongly defended the democratic legitimacy of Ghana’s first government, rejecting attempts to downplay the significance of the 1966 coup that toppled Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, CPP National Communications Director Osei Kofi Acquah criticized recent commentary surrounding plans to rename Kotoka International Airport, describing some statements as disappointing. “It is very, very sad to hear people who are supposed to be patriots, people who are supposed to be Democrats speak this way,” he stated.
Acquah argued that state monuments and national honours should be reserved exclusively for individuals who demonstrated patriotism and service to Ghana’s democratic foundations. “Let’s all be honest with ourselves. State monuments and rewarding people by naming streets and state institutions after them are supposed to be done for people who are deemed patriotic,” he emphasized.
The CPP official insisted that Nkrumah’s government came to power through legitimate democratic processes, not force. “Correctly said, the Kwame Nkrumah government did not come to power through the power of a gang,” Acquah said. “It was Ghanaians who decided that we want to start a nation by being democratic, by having a government that is for the people, by the people.”
Acquah stressed that Ghana’s founding government emerged from proper elections, describing this democratic foundation as central to understanding why the 1966 military coup represented a betrayal of national values. “And so there was proper elections,” he noted, adding that this history must be respected in current political debates.
The remarks come following Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga’s announcement that the government plans to introduce legislation in Parliament to rename Kotoka International Airport as Accra International Airport. The proposal has generated significant public debate, with supporters viewing it as historical justice and critics questioning its timing and relevance.
Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka was a leading figure in the 24 February 1966 coup that overthrew Nkrumah’s government while the president was on a diplomatic mission to Hanoi, Vietnam. Kotoka died during a failed counter-coup attempt in April 1967. The airport was named in his honour following the 1966 coup.
Acquah condemned the coup plotters as cowardly, noting they maintained outward loyalty to Nkrumah even while planning to remove him. “A group of men who are so cowardly to the extent that when Kwame Nkrumah was leaving for Hanoi, the same people who did the coup d’etat were the ones who saw him off at Accra, then Accra International Airport,” he said. “And when Osagyefo left, he took guns and arms and overthrew his government.”
The CPP has welcomed the proposed renaming, with party representatives describing it as correcting a historical injustice. “The reason why the CPP has been suffering for so many years is that we have agreed for the state to name our monuments and institutions after somebody like Kotoka,” Acquah said earlier on Joy News’ AM Show. “Now, we in the CPP are thanking them very much for considering a change.”
The debate has exposed divisions over how Ghana should commemorate its political history. Some critics, including Dr Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, Volta Regional Commissioner at the National Development Planning Commission, have described the renaming proposal as a misplaced policy priority with no tangible economic benefit.
However, Acquah maintained that the issue extends beyond economics to national values and historical accountability. “The state must recognise those who defended democracy, not those who sabotaged it,” he argued, suggesting that continuing to honour coup leaders sends problematic messages to younger generations about leadership and patriotism.
The Majority Leader announced the planned airport renaming as part of a broader legislative agenda for 2026, which includes major economic reforms, infrastructure projects, and social interventions. Parliament is expected to debate the proposal during the current session, though no specific timeline has been announced.
