Ghana’s longest serving Sports Minister, Enoch Teye Mensah has died at the age of 77.
The former Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram Constituency was confirmed dead on Sunday, October 1, 2023.
E.T Mensah died in South Africa after battling with a short illness.
Born in Koforidua on May 17, 1946, E.T Mensah first entered the Sports Ministry in 1992 as a Deputy Minister before being promoted to the substantive Minister role In 1993.
Aside being Ghana’s longest serving Sports Minister, below are 4 other Below sporting achievements of the late E.T Mensah
Building of Winneba Sports Complex
Prior to becoming the Sports Minister in 1993, the national teams particularly the Black Stars had no permanent camping places.
Determined to make the necessary changes, E.T Mensah pushed the late JJ Rawlings government to build a 25-bedroom apartment block in Winneba which became the permanent camping base for not only the Black Stars but the national teams for many years.
Introduction of Professional League in Ghana
Before 1992, Ghana was playing an amateur league which lacked the structure and financial stability.
E.T introduced professionalism in Ghana for all where players and coaches began to earn monthly salaries, and clubs started paying transfer fees.
Contribution to Hearts of Oak
E.T Mensah a former Hearts of Oak player used his influence to push the Phobian brand to the topmost level of football.
Players like Charles Taylor, Ishmael Addo and Osei Kuffour who were integral in the Hearts of Oak treble team in 2000 all have said in the past that but not for E.T Mensah they would have ended up playing for Asante Kotoko.
Winning of the 1995 FIFA U-17 World Cup
Though Ghana had won the 1991 U-17 FIFA World Cup, the building of the Winneba Sports Complex helped the football association to assemble young talents in order to have an adequate preparation for every major tournament.
And the country reaped the benefits in 1995 when Ghana won it’s second U-17 FIFA World Cup tournament.
