Former Minority Leader of Parliament and National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Samuel Arthur Odoi-Sykes, has died.
Mr Odoi-Sykes passed away on Monday, October 5, 2026, his family has announced.
He was a former Member of Parliament for the Ashiedu Keteke Constituency and a lawyer and diplomat who served Ghana in various capacities during his long public service career.
Mr Odoi-Sykes entered Parliament after winning the Ashiedu Keteke seat in the 1979 elections and subsequently became Minority Leader in 1980.
He later served as National Chairman of the NPP from 1998 to 2001, during which period the party secured its first presidential and parliamentary electoral victory in December 2000.
His career in public service began as a teacher before he joined the Ministry of Information. He subsequently entered Ghana’s Foreign Service in 1961, serving in several diplomatic positions.
His diplomatic assignments included postings to India, the United States, the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom.
Among other roles, he served as First Secretary, Press Attaché, Minister-Counsellor, Deputy Ambassador to the Soviet Union and Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
Mr Odoi-Sykes was also a Barrister-at-Law. He was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in the United Kingdom before being admitted to the Ghana Bar.
Born in Accra, he attended Accra Academy, the University of Ghana, the University of London and Johns Hopkins University.
In a statement announcing his death, the family described him as a man of principle, courage and firm leadership who dedicated his life to public service and intellectual independence.
He is survived by his wife, Edith Amorkor Sykes, and four children, Cynthia Omaboe, Mavis Amoa, Vincent Sykes and Frank Sykes.
The family said details of his funeral arrangements will be announced later.
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