'Your sharp mind helped me resolve critical issues as president' – Mahama eulogises Tsikata

Former President John Dramani Mahama has said the late Captain Kojo Tsikata (rtd) helped him to resolve critical issues of governance, or matters related to their party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Mr. Mahama in a Facebook post to mourn Captain Tsikata who passed in the early hours of Saturday, 20 November 2021, said he contributed immensely to the development, peace, and stability of Ghana and the global liberation movement.

Mr. Mahama’s post eulogizing the late Captain Tsikata read: “The passing of our senior comrade, pan Africanist, and freedom fighter, Captain Kojo Tsikata (Rtd.) is a great loss to the National Democratic Congress, Ghana, Africa, and all progressives movements across the globe.

“Captain as he was simply referred to, contributed immensely to the development, peace, and stability of Ghana, the global liberation movement and fought alongside our Cuban comrades in Angola in the war against the forces of apartheid and colonialism.

“We in the NDC will miss a critical thinker, a master strategist, and his stabilizing presence. I will always remember as President, the critical moments when his sharp mind helped me resolve critical issues of governance or matters related to our party, the NDC.

“His position as National Security Capo ensured the stabilization of Ghana's political environment leading eventually to the establishment of our 4th Republic, which has been the most enduring in our history.

“Captain Kojo Tsikata, known as Carlos Silva among Angolan fighters, received one of Angola's highest honors for his role in the struggle for national independence. He was a holder of the Solidarity Award and the Order of "Carlos Manuel de Céspedes", conferred by the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba.

“Rest well, dear comrade!”




Captain Tsikata, in 1982, under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), was the head of foreign affairs.

He is thought to be one of the brains behind the Rawlings revolution.

Captain Tsikata was sent to the Congo with Major General Ankrah, as part of a Ghanaian military contingent with orders from Kwame Nkrumah to protect Pan-Africanist and anti-neocolonialist Patrice Lumumba, who was the Prime Minister of that country at the time.

He later visited Conakry, Guinea, to visit Nkrumah.

He was arrested, detained, and put on death row as a suspect of an assassination plot against Nkrumah on his arrival.

Samora Machel, a freedom fighter, intervened and he was pardoned. Samora traveled with him to Mozambique. He later arrived in Angola in 1964 to join MPLA fighters and internationalist fighters from Cuba.

He was appointed in 1982 under the Jerry Rawlings administration.

He had been in charge of national security since 1982 and later joined the Rawlings administration on 21 January 1995.

He was a member of the council of state and a captain of the Ghana Army.

In 1995, he was asked to join a negotiating team with Ibn Chambas who was the then-Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, and Brigadier General Agyemfra, accompanied by Harry Mouzillas from the Ghana News Agency, as a journalist, to cover the events.

They traveled to join Mr. James Victor Gbeho, the then-Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and a Resident of Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, and Mr. Ate Allotey, a diplomat.

He rejected a national award to be conferred on him in the category of the order of Volta companion under President Kufuor.

He was listed as one of the six government officials under the NDC regime to receive the award.

He was appointed by Gaddafi to a senior advisory position in charge of the Al Mathaba central committee, a support center for the liberation movement and anti-imperialist and anti-Zionist organizations.