President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, during the commissioning ceremony on Friday, May 10, explained the rationale behind renaming the Kumasi Airport to Nana Agyeman Prempeh I International Airport.
According to him, the new name pays tribute to Asantehene Nana Agyeman Prempeh I, acknowledging his pivotal role in shaping the destiny and future of the Ashanti people.
“The decision I made to rename Kumasi Airport after the 14th Asantehene was not a difficult one to make,” President Akufo-Addo said.
“One of Otumfuo Nana Agyeman Prempeh I’s most notable achievements was his efforts to modernise and centralise the administration of the Asante kingdom, introduce reforms to the traditional governing structures, establish a more centralised system of authority and strengthen the power of the Asantehene and his council of chiefs,” he said.
The President highlighted how Otumfuo Nana Agyeman Prempeh I streamlined governance and enhanced the kingdom’s ability to respond to external threats and internal challenges.
“Overall, Otumfuo Nana Agyeman Prempeh I’s leadership during a tumultuous period in Ashanti history helped to reinforce the foundations of the resilience and endurance of the kingdom. It also marked a period of Ashanti resistance led by him and the celebrated Ejisu Hemaa, Yaa Asantewaa to fight colonial annexation of Ashanti,” the President stressed.
“Prempeh I is revered as a symbol of Ashanti pride, independence and sovereignty and today through this ceremony, we are paying tribute to his legacy,” he said.
The Airport will commence full operations late this year after its commissioning, to make way for the expansion of the runway and dismantling of the old facilities.
The facility, now under the management of the Ghana Airport Company Limited, is currently undergoing equipment testing essential for both domestic and international flights.
The airport, with a capacity to accommodate over eight hundred thousand passengers annually, primarily from the northern and middle belt regions, is set to meet the increasing demand for air travel.
