The ‘sidelined’ officials Fui Tsikata expected government to recognize over ITLOS case

It emerged last week that two eminent lawyers had turned down National Honours that they were slated to be given for their role in a maritime boundary case involving Ghana and Ivory Coast.

Fui Tsikata and former Attorney General Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, worked with a legal team under the John Mahama government before the coming into office of the current government.

The Mahama government team liaised with the new one, led by former AG Gloria Akuffo, to secure a favourable judgement for Ghana in 2017.

Politics was drawn into the reason why the duo rejected the award but GhanaWeb learnt that it was because of the failure of government to include some members of the former legal team as award recipients.

Whiles Marietta Brew has yet to publicly comment on the issue, lawyer Tsikata in a statement issued on March 15 explained why he personally declined the offer, stating that he had a longstanding position of not taking any national honours.

"I understand that my decision to decline the offer of a national award is being interpreted as motivated by partisan political considerations.

"In my letter of 2 November 2022 to the Solicitor-General, in response to hers informing me of the offer of an award, I explain that “I have long and deeply held convictions about not accepting recognition in the form of national honours.”

"Those who know me will confirm these convictions as well as my inclination to avoid grand public gestures and the fuss around them," the statement read in part.

He also lambasted government for its selectivity in picking award recipients citing how about half-dozen officials he had worked with on the very case were sidelined.

He listed the sidelined officials as follows:

Nana Asafu-Adjaye

Thomas Manu

Ayaa Armah

Kojo Agbenor-Efunam

Nana Appia Kyei

Nii Adzei Akpor

Professor Martin Tsamenyi

Fui also accused government of belated acknowledgement of two key officials in the ITLOS assignment.

“Nor is it clear why Kwame Mfodwo, the Co-ordinator of the Maritime Boundary Secretariat and Nana Poku, the indefatigable cartographer of the team, were only deserving of “Certificates”, in an evidently belated attempt to offer them some acknowledgement,” his statement added.

At the National Honours and Awards event, about 50 individuals and entities received the Order of the Volta – Companion awards, comprising Members of the National COVID-19 Taskforce, Trustees of the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund, and International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) Technical Team and Legal Advisors.

Attached below Fui Tsikata’s full statement

MEDIA STATEMENT ON ITLOS NATIONAL AWARDS

I understand that my decision to decline the offer of a national award is being interpreted as motivated by partisan political considerations.

In my letter of 2 November 2022 to the Solicitor-General, in response to hers informing me of the offer of an award, I explain that “I have long and deeply held convictions about not accepting recognition in the form of national honours.”

Those who know me will confirm these convictions as well as my inclination to avoid grand public gestures and the fuss around them.

If anything tarnishes the awards, it is not my rejection of the offer to me, but rather the unfortunate selectivity in deciding those involved in the maritime boundary litigation to whom awards would be given. It is impossible to understand the criteria which excluded the names of Nana Asafu-Adjaye, Thomas Manu, Ayaa Armah, Kojo Agbenor-Efunam, Nana Appia Kyei and Nii Adzei Akpor. Even Professor Martin Tsamenyi is left out.

It was his work that led to the creation of the Maritime Boundary Secretariat, which co-ordinated the litigation.

He was an influential member of the team till he fell ill. Nor is it clear why Kwame Mfodwo, the Co-ordinator of the Maritime Boundary Secretariat and Nana Poku, the indefatigable cartographer of the team, were only deserving of “Certificates”, in an evidently belated attempt to offer them some acknowledgement.

I prefer to celebrate the collective effort of the team and the leadership that promoted collaboration and stifled disruptive elements. The unforgettable images of Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong handing over to Gloria Akuffo symbolise that and remain indelible.