General News of Thursday, 12 July 2018
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
2018-07-12
The late Joseph Henry Mensah
The demise of veteran politician, Joseph Henry Mensah came as a shock to many Ghanaians when various media platforms reported the news in the early hours of today.
The late J. H. Mensah, aged 89, died on Thursday morning while on admission at the 37 Military Hospital for some days.
However, some family members of Mr. Mensah are upset about the quick reportage of his death by the media.
According to a nephew of the late politician, Paa Kwesi Mensah, although the death of his uncle came as a big blow the news travelled too fast without a chunk of the family having prior notice.
Paa Kwesi Mensah, who described the situation as “uncomfortable”, added that the mobile phones, radios, and television sets of close family had to be turned off in order not for them not to be taken unaware.
“Obviously the circumstances were not good. He was an old man and of course everyone is gonna go one day but it still came as a shock when the message came out this morning that he had passed,” Paa Kwesi told www.ghanaweb.com in an interview at the residence of the late J. H. Mensah.
He added, “And then you [referring to the media] add confusion to it that even before family gets to know somebody is discussing his death on radio, somebody is saying somewhere from the hospital where I don’t even know so it had a bit of discomfort.”
J. H. Mensah’s nephew was quick to add that family members, as Catholics, are consoled because they believe the late J. H. Mensah is gone to a better place.
He said, “It was a bit uncomfortable. But as a believer; we are Catholics. We believe you don’t just pass on to the other side and you get to the other side and you get a better place.”
Describing his fondest memories of his uncle, Paa Kwesi said J. H. Mensah was all about the truth no matter how bitter it was.
He further stressed that the former Minority and Majority leader of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was sincere to himself to his colleagues, to his family and was ready to be of help.
“He was a very straight talking character and that is what we need in Ghana. He studied hard. He took his studies seriously. He could do so many things you wouldn’t believe if I told you but whatever he did, he did it with all he had. He worked very hard. No job was above or beneath him. If we had a problem in this family and involved someone sitting to think through it and give you an answer, go to J.H. Mensah. That was who he was,” he stated.
He disclosed that the family is ready to give J. H. Mensah a befitting burial and remember him with the fondest of memories.