Tsatsu Tsikata's 50 years at the bar to be commemorated with a 3-day event

Tsatsu Tsikata, a distinguished name in Ghana’s legal fraternity, is set to be honoured this month as he marks 50 years since being called to the Bar an occasion that has received widespread recognition from leaders in the legal, academic, business, and public sectors.

A special three-day event will be held from August 6 to 8, 2025, at the Accra International Conference Centre to mark this milestone. The tribute, scheduled for 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. each day, will recognise Tsikata’s five decades of impact across law, academia, corporate leadership, and public governance. 

The programme will bring together colleagues, former students, professional associates, and friends from Ghana and beyond to share tributes, stories, and reflections on his life and work.

The event will take place under the theme, “Celebrating 50 Years of Tsatsu Tsikata at the Ghana Bar – 1975 to 2025.” Organisers say it aims to honour not only Tsikata’s individual accomplishments but also his broader contributions to national development and the evolution of legal thought in Ghana.

Day one, August 6, will focus on Tsikata’s career in legal practice, including his courtroom advocacy, representation before military tribunals, leadership in the corporate legal space, and his legal activities during a period of incarceration. Discussions will be led by prominent lawyers Tony Lithur and Thaddeus Sory, both former students. 

They will be joined by Goosie Tanoh, Presidential Adviser on the 24-Hour Economy, and Nana Appia Kyei, Director at Kosmos Energy Ghana both of whom worked with Tsikata during his tenure as CEO of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC). Justice Emile Short, Ghana’s first Commissioner of Human Rights and Administrative Justice and a former judge at the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, will chair the session.

The second day, August 7, will highlight Tsikata’s influence in academia, particularly in legal education and mentorship. Reflections will be shared by his former students Kwesi Quartey, Professor Martin Tsamenyi, and Christopher Quaye. The session will also feature a lecture by Professor Raymond Atuguba, outgoing Dean of the University of Ghana Law School, on the theme “Challenges of Legal Education in Ghana.” Rt. Hon. Doe Adjaho, former Speaker of Parliament and one of Tsikata’s past students, will chair the day’s proceedings.

On August 8, the final session will spotlight Tsikata’s national and political involvement. Contributions will come from Mrs Betty Mould Idrisu, a former Attorney General, and lawyer Kyeretwie Opoku, who worked with Tsikata at GNPC. Tsikata is expected to deliver a personal reflection, closing the event with his own insights and experiences. The day will be chaired by Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr, veteran journalist and Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, who will also provide final remarks.

As part of the celebration, members of the public are invited to submit tributes and congratulatory messages through an online platform: https://forms.office.com/r/TZWKTTCyAh.