In an interview with Kafui Dey, which aired on February 10, 2026, Maj-Gen Sam (Rtd) noted that while the CPP considers Kotoka a traitor for his role in the 1966 coup that toppled President Kwame Nkrumah, Kotoka was seen as a hero by many Ghanaians at the time. Had it not been Kotoka, Ghana would've experienced a one-party state with Nkrumah till he dies — Family, chiefs“The CPP people have been fighting this deeming of the place after Kotoka because they consider him a traitor. For Maj-Gen Sam, if it were up to him alone, the airport should not be renamed, as it holds historical significance. He argued that while Ghanaians hailed the coup in 1966, public memory has grown short over the years. These groups contend that honouring General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, a central figure in the 1966 coup that overthrew the country’s first government, is no longer appropriate.

Source: GhanaWeb February 11, 2026 06:06 UTC