Mr. Tia, who also served as a Member of Parliament for the Talensi Constituency in the Upper East Region for five consecutive terms from 1993 to 2012, died in the early hours of Sunday, March 24, 2024, at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital after a brief illness.

Born on September 23, 1954, Mr. Tia's death was confirmed by reliable sources. In 2012, he lost the parliamentary election to Robert Nachinaab Doameng Mosore of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). 

Following his defeat, he was appointed Ghana’s Ambassador to Cuba during former President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.