“It doesn’t jell” – Cardinal Turkson questions why Ghana’s airport is still named after a coup leader

Ghanaian Cardinal, HE. Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, who also serves as Chancellor of the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences, has invited the nation to reflect on the values it upholds, questioning the continued naming of Ghana’s international airport after a figure known for leading a military coup.

In an interview on Channel One TV, monitored by Catholic Trends, the Cardinal suggested that if Ghana is serious about resetting its moral and democratic compass, it must also re-examine the symbols it celebrates.

“For us in Ghana, it’s a conversation. I’m not holding anybody for criticism. But it’s an introspection that we need to make. Revisiting the past, did the coups promote democracy or the common well-being? We can evaluate all of those,” he said.

“It’s an irony that we have a document that discourages coup d’états in the sub-region, but the name on our airport, the first point of entry into Ghana, is named after a coup maker. That doesn’t jell,” he said.

He explained that, “To disassociate the country from coup d’état and still idolise a figure who represents this… the governments in the past may have had a reason to do it, but if we are resetting, then it’s good to do a full review of the history to be able to discover values and things which are not promoting the kind of value systems that we have,” he added.

Cardinal Turkson was not confrontational in tone but contemplative, drawing on the words of the prophet Jeremiah to describe Ghana’s current social and moral direction.

“If Jeremiah tells us that we are at the crossroads and we should find which path leads to peace, then it means right now we may be travelling on a path which does not lead to peace,” he said.

“To be talking about peace when you are walking on a path which doesn’t lead you to peace is leading people astray.”

He explained that this moment calls for national self-examination, not blame.

“I’m not criticising anybody, but revisiting the past, did the coups promote democracy or well-being? We need to evaluate all of those.”

The interview was on the back of a reflection he gave on July 1 at Ghana’s maiden National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving.