The Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Ekow Vincent Assafuah, has criticised plans by the government to rename Kotoka International Airport, describing the move as a waste of taxpayers’ money and a distraction from more pressing national concerns.

According to him, the proposed renaming would impose unnecessary financial burdens on the state, especially at a time when key sectors are struggling with unpaid salaries and stalled recruitment.

Speaking to reporters on February 3, the Old Tafo legislator said, “Renaming of Kotoka and those things, they’re just useless, they’re baseless and a waste of tax payers money. And that’s not what we need.”

There is currently an active legislative push and public campaign to rename Ghana’s primary international airport. Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga revealed that the government has plans to lay a bill before Parliament to rename Kotoka International Airport as Accra International Airport.

The proposal is intended to reflect Ghana’s democratic values by removing the name of General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, a key figure in the 1966 coup that overthrew Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

Ekow Assafuah argued that the cost implications of the rebranding exercise alone make the proposal unjustifiable.

“If we do these things, every branding that has been done in the name of Kotoka International Airport will have to be rebranded to Accra International Airport. That is a cost to the taxpayer,” he said.

He further pointed to ongoing financial challenges facing the public sector.

“As we speak, you know that nurses are not being paid, teachers are not being paid. Recruitments are supposed to be made, they’re saying that they don’t have financial clearance,” he stated.

Ekow Assafuah stressed that national resources should be directed toward addressing urgent economic and social needs rather than symbolic changes.

“It is waste of time, waste of resources, and the NDC should be serious with their mandate.” he added.