NPP mourns J.H Mensah, directs all party flags to fly at half-mast

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described the death of JH Mensah as an immeasurable loss to the party and to the rest of the country.

As a mark of respect in honour of his memory, the NPP has directed that all party flags at the national headquarters and in the respective regions and constituencies be flown at half-mast for the next seven days.

The party in a statement signed by its General Secretary John Boadu said they have “indeed lost a father, a mentor and a colossus.”

Mr Mensah died in the early hours of Thursday, 12 July 2018. He was a politician and an economist. He was 89.

About Mr Mensah

Mr Mensah began working as an assistant inspector of taxes in 1953 while the Gold Coast was still under colonial rule.

In 1958, Mr Mensah joined the United Nations Secretariat at the Centre for Development Planning, Projections and Policies, in New York City, United States.

He returned to Ghana in 1961 as the Head of Agency at the National Planning Commission which drew and implemented the country's Seven-Year Development Plan (1962–1969).



In 1969, he was elected to parliament and became the Finance Minister until 1972, when he was replaced by future head of state Ignatius Kutu Acheampong after the military coup.

In 2005, he was appointed Senior Minister by President J.A Kufuor.

Below is NPP’s full statement:

NPP MOURNS J.H. MENSAH AND DIRECTS THAT ALL PARTY FLAGS FLY AT HALF MAST

The NPP has learnt with shock, the demise of the venerable Joseph Henry Mensah, a founding father of the party, which sad event occurred in the morning of Thursday, July 12, 2018 at the 37 Military Hospital where he had been on admission receiving medical attention.

The revered statesman and consummate politician who was described by many as the doyen of development planning in the country, had certainly paid his dues to project Ghana particularly in the advancement of parliamentary democracy and national development planning.

He served under different governments in various capacities including head of development planning in Nkrumah's government, Finance Minister in Busia's government and as Ghana's first Senior Minister during the era of former President John Kufuor. He also served, in the 4th Republic, as Leader of NPP Parliamentary Group, both as Minority and Majority Leader at various times.

Clearly, J.H. Mensah's contribution to the NPP political tradition and Ghana at large cannot be overemphasized and thus, his passing, is such an immeasurable loss to the party and to the rest of the country. We, in the NPP in particular, have indeed lost a father, a mentor and a colossus.

The party extends its heartfelt condolence to his immediate family and friends and to the rest of the Nation for such unbearable loss. We stand with them in these difficult times and would provide them the needed support and assistance.

As a mark of respect in honour of his blessed memory, the NPP directs that all party flags at the national headquarters and in the respective regions and constituencies be flown at half-mast for the next seven days.

May the soul of our dearly departed father and mentor find solace in God's bosom and may the family he left behind and indeed all of us find fortitude to bear this great loss.

Damerefa Due!

...Signed...

JOHN BOADU

GENERAL SECRETARY