Captain (rtd) Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey, a prominent member of the New Patriotic Party, has expressed his deep appreciation for the renowned legal luminary Tsatsu Tsikata, attributing his success in his legal career to Mr Tsikata’s mentorship.
In an interview with Maame Grace on Gerome TV, Mr Effah-Dartey revealed that Mr Tsikata, his former lecturer at the University of Ghana, took a keen interest in his development, particularly after enduring years of arbitrary arrests and serving prison sentences.
He shared how Mr Tsikata extended his guidance and training to him, emphasizing the pivotal role Mr Tsikata played in shaping his professional path.
Mr Effah-Dartey’s association with Mr Tsikata led to their collaboration in establishing the Ghana National Petroleum Commission, where Mr Effah-Dartey served for a decade before resigning to focus on private practice.
He expressed his gratitude, stating, “I must say thank you to Tsatsu Tsikata, who was one of my law lecturers at Legon. He knew me and all the problems I was going through, so once I left the military, he took me under his wing, and we worked together. We set up the Ghana National Petroleum Commission, and I worked there for 10 years. I resigned to concentrate as a private lawyer.”
Furthermore, Mr Effah-Dartey recounted an incident involving his arrest, which was ordered by the late Jerry John Rawlings due to false allegations made against him.
This experience significantly contributed to Effah Dartey’s aversion to the National Democratic Congress.
Reflecting on his time in prison, he shared his unique relationship with the late Rawlings, stating, “I was in prison when Rawlings returned to power on 31st December 1981. Rawlings released me, and we worked together. I started the National Investigations Committee, and my assignment was to interrogate PNP ministers and recommend those who should be tried and those who should be set free. People complained to Rawlings that I was honest, could not be bribed, had good handwriting, and was too cool with the military.” He continued, “Rawlings got fed up with the complaints and ordered my arrest for the second time. I was imprisoned, and after six months, they informed me that I had been compulsorily retired from the Ghana Armed Forces as a captain. I returned to the Ghana Law School and graduated in 1986.”
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