The Supreme Court has ordered the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to file a response within seven days in a case challenging the alleged renaming of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
The directive was issued on Thursday, May 14, 2026, after the court heard an application by the Attorney-General seeking more time to file a Statement of Case in a suit brought by lawyer and policy analyst Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers.
Mr. Brako-Powers, who filed the suit in March 2026, is contesting the legality of any attempt to change the name of the airport without following the required legal procedures outlined in the General Kotoka Trust Decree, 1969 (NRCD 339).
According to the plaintiff, the airport’s name cannot lawfully be changed through an executive declaration or administrative action alone. He argues that any such move must be backed by a formal amendment or repeal of the existing law governing the airport’s name.
The case has reignited public discussion over the legal and historical significance of the country’s main international airport, which is named after former military officer Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka.
Speaking to journalists after the hearing, counsel for the plaintiff, Michael Akosah, maintained that any renaming process must comply fully with constitutional and statutory requirements, including parliamentary approval and stakeholder consultation where applicable.
Lawyers representing the state, led by a Chief State Attorney, requested additional time to adequately respond to the constitutional and legal issues raised in the suit.
While granting the extension request, the Supreme Court underscored the need for a speedy determination of the matter and directed the Attorney-General to file the response within seven days.
Mr. Brako-Powers insists the case raises broader constitutional questions about executive authority, administrative power, and the legal processes required for renaming national monuments and public institutions.
The Attorney-General is expected to address whether the executive arm of government or any state agency has the authority to rename nationally significant facilities without parliamentary approval.
The matter is expected to return to the Supreme Court once the Attorney-General files the response, with legal observers describing the case as one that could set an important precedent for the renaming of public infrastructure in Ghana.
