The government has signalled a major symbolic and policy shift as Parliament prepares to resume, with plans to rename Ghana’s main international gateway and introduce far-reaching transport reforms.
At a leadership media briefing ahead of the opening of the Ninth Parliament on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga revealed that legislation would soon be laid to rename Kotoka International Airport as Accra International Airport, a move he described as part of a broader legislative reset.
According to Mr Ayariga, the Minister for Transport will formally present a bill to Parliament to effect the change, ending decades of debate surrounding the airport’s current name.
The proposed renaming taps into long-standing public pressure from civil society groups and sections of the citizenry who argue that Ghana’s national institutions should reflect democratic ideals. General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, after whom the airport is currently named, was a central figure in the 1966 coup that toppled Ghana’s first post-independence government, a legacy critics say sits uneasily with the country’s democratic journey.
Beyond the airport name change, the Majority Leader disclosed that Parliament will also be asked to consider key transport-related bills aimed at reshaping regulation within the sector.
“These include the Maritime Offences Bill, the Road Traffic Bill to address the legalisation and regulation of commercial motorcycle operations, popularly known as okada, and the Ghana Shippers Council Regulation Bill,” Mr Ayariga stated.
The proposed Road Traffic Bill is expected to reopen national conversations on okada operations, balancing road safety concerns with the growing role of motorcycle transport in urban mobility and youth employment.
With Parliament set to debate both symbolic national issues and practical transport reforms, the upcoming session is shaping up to be one of the most consequential in recent years, as lawmakers weigh history, public sentiment, and policy needs side by side.
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