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The late Mr. Enoch Teye Mensah, also known as E. T. Mensah in Ghanaian political circles, requested permission from him as the opposition party’s Chief Scribe at the time to run for a seat on the Council of State, according to Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
On February 12, 2021, Mr. ET Mensah was unanimously chosen to serve as the Greater Accra Regional representative on the Council of State.
Even so, ET Mensah’s choice to join the Council of State in the event of a New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration did not sit well with certain opposition NDC party loyalists.
Speaking to the media during the last funeral rites of the late NDC stalwart, ET Mensah’s decision to run for the one seat held by the Greater Accra region on the Council of State was deliberated and approved by the party, according to the National Chairman of the largest opposition party.
Mr. Asiedu Nketiah restated that prior to entering the race for Council of State, the late former Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram requested the party’s endorsement.
He claimed that he approved the decision, saying that ET Mensah’s choice was sound.
The party’s viewpoint was further elucidated by Mr. Asiedu Nketiah, a member of the Parliamentary Service Board, who emphasized that working for a state institution of governance during a time when the party is in opposition is not a betrayal.
“On this controversial issue about his contest to become a Council of State member, ET Mensah sought permission from me as the then General Secretary. And I said there was nothing wrong with that. Some are of the view that when a government is in power, then it is a sin to work in any state institution of governance and that it is a betrayal. I said the NPP does the opposite. When we are in power, some NPP folks contest for positions on the Council of State so they can be there to participate in certain decisions. So I told him that he had my support,” the NDC National Chairman explained.
He added, “But I told him that it shows that he was a powerhouse in the region,” indicating that ET Mensah was not happy that no NPP member had run against him.
“It is not my fault that ET ran for office on the Council of State. I can’t claim he left the party. I disagree with those who make these claims.
He asked for my blessing. Furthermore, the NDC as a party did not disagree with his choice, in my opinion,” he said.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
