Biography of Enoch Teye Mensah

Enoch Teye Mensah (17 May 1946 – 1 October 2023), commonly known as E. T. Mensah, was a Ghanaian politician. He was a Minister for Education and a Member of Parliament in Ghana from January 1997 till January 2017.

Early life and education

Mensah was born on 17 May 1946 and comes from Prampram in the Greater Accra Region Ghana. He schooled at the SNAPS College of Accountancy, which he completed in 1968. He also had his RSA III in 1970, and he became a fellow of the Institute of Financial Accountants in 1986. He was an Account Officer and worked at the University of Ghana, Legon as Accounting Officer.

Political career

As Mayor of Accra

During the time of the PNDC military regime in Ghana, he was the long time Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), akin to being the Mayor of the City of Accra. He joined the National Democratic Congress when it was formed in 1992.

As Member of Parliament

Mensah was a Ghanaian politician and stood for the Ghanaian parliamentary election in 1996 and was elected member of Parliament for the Ningo-Prampram constituency, holding the seat for almost a decade. He first went into parliament after he was elected as a member of Parliament of the second parliament of the fourth republic of Ghana during the 1996 Ghanaian General Election. He polled a total valid vote cast of 15,677 representing 56.10% defeating his opponents; Desmond Nene Quaynor who polled 1,569 which represent 5.60% of the total votes cast and Gwendolyn Sara Addo an Independent candidate who also polled 1,537 representing 5.50% under the membership of the National Democratic Congress. After the NDC lost the 2000 elections, he continued as a member of parliament, winning in subsequent elections in 2004, 2008 and 2012, maintaining his seat until 2016. He once served as the Minority Chief Whip in parliament prior to the Ghanaian parliamentary election in 2008. In January 2009, when the NDC won majority in parliament, he became the Majority Chief Whip in parliament.

On 21 November 2015, Mensah lost the NDC parliamentary primaries to Sam George, bringing an end to his 20 years stay in parliament and chance to be stand for MP in the 2016 elections.

As Minister of State

At the beginning of the Fourth Republic, he was appointed Minister for Youth and Sports by President Jerry Rawlings. Mensah held that position through both terms of the Rawlings government. In January 2010, after a cabinet reshuffle, President John Atta Mills appointed him Minister for Employment and Social Welfare.

Mensah was a member of the Pan-African Parliament until January 2009, when he resigned after being appointed a member of state. In January 2011, he was appointed Minister for Education following the resignation of Betty Mould-Iddrisu.

On 12 February 2021, Mensah was unanimously elected as the representative of Council of State for the Greater Accra Region.

Personal life and death

Mensah was married with seven children. He died in South Africa on 1 October 2023, at the age of 77.

Honours

Mensah was awarded the Companion of the Order of the Volta by President Kufuor’s government.