In just the first five days of October 2023, the month has already witnessed significant news headlines, particularly in the realm of politics. At the forefront of these headlines is the unfortunate passing of three well-known figures within the country, all of whom have played pivotal roles in Ghana's fourth republic.

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This article delves into these three distinguished individuals who have left us this week, beginning with the former First Lady, Theresa Kufuor.Following the conclusion of her tenure as Ghana's First Lady on January 7, 2009, Theresa Kufuor chose a more private life and largely stayed away from the public eye. However, on October 1, 2023, the nation received the sombre news of her passing.

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Theresa Kufuor dies at 87:Theresa Kufuor, a retired midwife and the wife of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, reportedly passed away at her residence in Peduase, situated in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

this heartbreaking news, P. K. Mensah, a spokesperson for the former president, announced that the former First Lady had peacefully left us in the afternoon of Sunday, October 1.<img

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alt="" class="wp-image-570162" />Enoch Teye Mensah dies at 77:On the evening of Sunday, October 1, 2023, the sad news of the passing of Enoch Teye Mensah, a former Member of Parliament representing Ningo-Prampram, was officially confirmed. Enoch Teye Mensah, a prominent member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), peacefully departed this life at the age of 77.

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His demise occurred in South Africa after a period of battling with poor health.ET Mensah, as he was affectionately known, had a distinguished political career. He not only served as a Member of Parliament but also took on the roles of Minister for Education and Minister of Sports at various junctures in the country's history.

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<img alt="" class="wp-image-570164" />Enoch Teye Mensah, whose professional background was in accounting, held the position of Member of Parliament from January 1997 to January 2017. Unfortunately, his political journey came to an end when he was defeated in the NDC primaries by the current MP for the same constituency, Sam Nartey George.

his tenure, he, alongside the current Speaker of Parliament,

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Alban Bagbin, and Cletus Avoka, the MP for Zebilla, earned the collective nickname "The Three Wisemen" within Ghana's Parliament House. This moniker was a testament to their extensive and dedicated service as lawmakers.Enoch Teye Mensah is survived by his widow and seven children.

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Felix Owusu-Adjapong passes on at 79:On the evening of Wednesday, October 4, 2023, the passing of Felix Owusu-Adjapong, a former Majority Leader of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) during President John Agyekum Kufuor's administration, was officially announced. Mr. Owusu-Adjapong departed this world at the age of 79.

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The confirmation of his passing came from the current Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, who shared the news via his social media handle on X (formerly known as Twitter) on the same Wednesday, October 4, 2023.“Deep condolences to the family... The former majority leader, Hon. Felix Owusu, passed on,” Annoh-Dompreh posted.F. K.

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Owusu-Adjapong (born February 13, 1944) was a Ghanaian politician and a former Member of the Parliament of Ghana as a New Patriotic Party (NPP) representative for Akyem Swedru of the Eastern Region of Ghana. He was also a former Minister of Energy.<img alt="" class="wp-image-570167" />Early life and educationFelix Owusu-Adjapong pursued his education in various fields.

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He obtained a degree in land economy from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. Additionally, he furthered his studies by specialising in housing, planning, and building at the Bouwcentrum Institute in Rotterdam. He expanded his knowledge by delving into urban land appraisal at the University of Reading in England.

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Furthermore, he ventured into the field of law, completing his legal education at the Ghana School of Law.Political careerFelix Owusu-Adjapong has a notable political career, having served as a Member of Parliament in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Parliaments of Ghana's fourth republic. His journey began when he was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Akyem Swedru in the 1996 general elections, securing 15,824 votes, which accounted for 45.

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30% of the total valid votes cast that year. His popularity continued to grow, and he was re-elected in the 2000 general elections with an even more substantial majority, garnering 14,614 votes, or 56.80% of the total votes cast.In February 2001, he took on the role of Minister for Transport and Communications, and later, in April 2003, he assumed the position of Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.

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The 2004 Ghanaian general elections saw Owusu-Adjapong once again emerge as a Member of Parliament with a significant majority, as he received 21,048 votes, accounting for 66.94% of the total votes cast.In 2007, he made the decision to step down from his ministerial post, embarking on an unsuccessful bid for the presidential nomination of the NPP. He did not contest his parliamentary constituency in the 2008 general elections.

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However, in June 2008, he was appointed as the Minister of Energy, serving in this capacity until the end of Kufuor's government in January 2009.

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