The Overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Abukari Mahama II, has kicked against the plan to rename the Tamale International Airport after Yakubu Tali.

According to the leader, the proposed renaming does not resonate well with the people of the region.

"Since this proposal was announced, the Gbewaa Palace has been inundated with calls and other forms of communications pleading that this proposal be shelved," he said.

President Akufo-Addo announced this proposal during the delivery of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.

Addressing Parliament, he explained that, "several important tasks are lying ahead of us, one of which will be commissioning the Nana Agyeman Prempeh I International Airport in Kumasi, and naming the recently commissioned airport in Tamale the Yakubu Tali International Airport."

• Read also: Kumasi residents welcome renaming of Kumasi Airport after Nana Agyeman Prempeh I

Alhaji Yakubu Alhassan Tali was the Paramount Chief of the Tolon Traditional Area. Born in 1916, the traditional leader and politician became a founding member of the Northern People's Party and died in 1986.

At a memorial ceremony to honour him in April 2014, Nana Akufo-Addo described him as a man who "skilfully blended his faith, tradition and public service much to the admiration of his contemporaries."

"He belongs to the ages and represented the best elements of this noble tradition, the Danquah-Dombo-Busia political tradition of Ghana, reflecting integrity, loyalty to principle, selflessness, and commitment to honest public service in the highest degree," Nana Akufo-Addo wrote in a Facebook post.

In a letter, the Ya-Na explained that it would be more appropriate for the government to hold off on this move.

The traditional leader further proposed that such recognition would hold much more significance if bestowed upon Naa Gbewaa.

"It is the considered opinion of many people and traditional leaders in the region that such recognition is bestowed on Na Gbewaa."

Naa Gbewaa is the founder of the Kingdom of Dagbon. His offspring are also credited with founding several states⁣, including the Mossi kingdoms of Burkina Faso.

Meanwhile, some residents of Kumasi have welcomed the renaming of the yet-to-be-commissioned and first International Airport in the Ashanti Region.

They are of the view renaming the Kumasi International Airport after the late Asante King, Nana Agyeman Prempeh I, is worthwhile due to his sacrifices to the Asante kingdom.

Some residents of Kumasi who spoke to JoyNews expressed delight in dedicating one of the prominent state infrastructure to the 13th Asante monarch.

• Read also: Kumasi International Airport to be named after Nana Agyeman Prempeh I

“We don’t have a problem with the name because he once ruled as the king in the Asante kingdom and since the airport is also located in this same region we are delighted about it,” one of the residents said.

Nana Agyeman Prempeh I was enstooled as Asantehene in March 1888 with the stool name Nana Kwaku Duah III. The name was later changed to Prempeh I.

Nana Agyeman Prempeh I fought the British in 1900 and was captured and sent to exile.

During his reign, he won two battles over the British and was moved to Seychelles Island with his family and 50 others.

After being held captive for 28 years, Sir Prempeh was released to return to Kumasi in 1924 through a special agreement with British authorities, allowing him to return as a regular individual.

Nana Prempeh passed away on May 12, and his successor, Prempeh II, took over as the Asantehene in 1931.

The international airport is expected to start functioning from May 2024. However, the citizens are hoping for an early start of operations to ease the stress of travelling to Accra to catch international flights.