By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
Ghana’s apex court, the Supreme Court (SC), has ordered the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General to file a response within seven days in a legal challenge to the reported renaming of Kotoka International Airport.
The order was issued on Thursday, May 14, 2026, when the apex court considered an application by the Attorney-General for additional time to file a statement of case in Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers v. Attorney-General.
The plaintiff (Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers), who is a lawyer and policy analyst, filed the suit in March 2026, challenging the legality of the reported renaming of the airport.
He argues that any such change was not undertaken in accordance with the required legal procedures, particularly under the General Kotoka Trust Decree, 1969 (NRCD 339).
According to the plaintiff, any alteration to the airport’s official name must be effected through a formal amendment or repeal of the relevant legislation rather than by executive announcement or administrative directive.
Mr Brako-Powers contends that the matter raises broader constitutional questions concerning executive authority, administrative decision-making, and the legal requirements governing the renaming of state assets.
Representing the state, lawyers led by a Chief State Attorney requested additional time to respond to the substantive legal issues raised in the suit.
Although the court granted the request for an extension, it stressed the need for expedited proceedings and thus ordered the Attorney-General to file its response within seven days to avoid delays in the hearing of the case.
Counsel for the plaintiff, Michael Akosah, told journalists that any attempt to rename the airport must strictly comply with constitutional and statutory procedures, including parliamentary approval where necessary.
The Attorney-General is expected to address whether any existing legal provisions permit the executive or state institutions to rename national landmarks unilaterally without parliamentary approval.
The case is expected to return before the Supreme Court after the Attorney-General files its response, with legal observers describing it as a potentially significant ruling on governance and the management of public assets in Ghana.
The dispute centres on the legal and historical status of Kotoka International Airport, a key national asset named after Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka.
