Akufo-Addo is my friend, Mpiani is my in-law – ET Mensah

A leading Member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, has rehashed the age-old wisdom that political differences need not be synonymous with enmity, using himself as an example.

At a meeting with Members of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) on Wednesday, Mr ET Mensah revealed he is a longtime friend of President Akufo-Addo and that their friendship continues to date even though Akufo-Addo is NPP and he is NDC.

According to him the two of them were very close when they were both in Parliament representing Ningo-Prampram, in ET Mensah’s case and Akyem Abuakwa in Akufo-Addo’s case.

Also, he revealed that he is in-law to Mr Kojo Mpiani, a kingpin of the NPP who was Chief of Staff to former President John Agyekum Kufuor.

He became Mpiani’s in-law when his daughter got married to the son of the NPP kingpin in the United States of America.

The former NDC MP for Ningo Prampram and current Greater Accra regional representative on the Council of State, therefore, urged the Assembly Members of the TMA to put aside political differences and work for the common good of Tema.

The meeting had been a session of the TMA’s General Assembly on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. It had been presided over by the National Dean of Presiding members and the Greater Accra regional Dean of Presiding members who is also the Presiding Member for TMA, Joseph Korto.

The meeting was also attended by the MP for Tema East, Isaac Ashai Odamtten.

With his rich experience in governance, ET Mensah was asked a number of questions by the Assembly Members, including a request to provide insights on a constant turf war that the TMA has been having with the Tema Development Corporation and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).

In response, ET Mensah said as far as the Tema Metropolis is concerned, the TMA has both the Executive and Administrative authority to govern as the Metropolitan front of the Ministry of Local Government.

He said the TDC is only a developmental organ of State in Tema. However, when it comes to things like the administration of building permits and the collection of tolls, he said those firmly fell in the jurisdiction of the TMA.

He urged the Assembly to be firm in dealing with issues in its jurisdiction including enforcing laws that prohibit the building of structures on waterways and pipelines.

Mr. ET Mensah, who himself is a resident of Tema and a former minister of Works and Housing, used the occasion to touch on some of his achievements as Works and Housing minister as well as achievements in the Youth and Sports Ministry said the Metropolis’ water supply is suffering negative impact because the Kpong water treatment plant which had been set-up by Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and later revamped by former President Mills, now lacks the capacity to satisfy the increased population of Tema.

Those in attendance included the MP for Tema East, Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten and MP for Tema Central, Mr. Hanson Nii Noi Nortey as well as personnel of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).