Dr. Kodjo Essiem Mensah-Abrampa
- Dr. Kodjo Essiem Mensah-Abrampa
A life dedicated to national service, development planning and supporting strong systems for delivering sustainable, life-changing services for all.
Published on: 08/07/2024
News of the sudden death of the Director General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr. Kodjo Essiem Mensah-Abrampa filtered in the early hours of Monday July 1, 2024, but was hard to believe, prompting calls to family members and NDPC colleagues with the hope that it would merely be a rumor. Unfortunately, it soon became public that Dr. Mensah-Abrampa, a renowned economist and development planner had died.
Dr Mensah-Abrampa passed at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. News of his passing sent shockwaves across Ghana and across the world, including the WASH sector and the IRC family.
The Ghana WASH sector, led by Minister Lydia Seyram Alhassan, observed a minute of silence in his memory at the July 4 event to launch the national water policy. And stakeholders have been left wondering what will happen to the intersectoral collaboration on the Sustainable Development Goals, and the drive for institutional coordination, which Dr Mensah-Abrampa so brilliantly championed and led.
IRC received the heartbreaking news of Dr. Mensah-Abrampa's untimely passing with shock. As the Director General of the NDPC, he had a vibrant presence across many sectors and at all levels in Ghana. Our last interaction with him was on June 13, 2024, when he met and engaged with visiting IRC supervisory board members. Little did we know that this would be the last time we saw him.
In solemn reflection, IRC Ghana Country Director, Vida Duti, said:
"We have lost a close collaborator who consistently applied his planning and development expertise to our cause – systems strengthening for safe and sustainable access to WASH services for all. Through his guidance, we piloted the districtwide approach in Asutifi North, which scaled to the entire Ahafo Region and beyond. We also collaborated in hosting the national learning exchange events that brought together like-minded organizations to share on districtwide approaches. Furthermore, we together documented 'Good Practice for WASH in Ghana,' and more recently, provided capacity building support for planners and WASH focal points across the country using the WASH Systems Academy. He cultivated a cadre of experts within NDPC, working toward universal water services nationwide. While IRC mourns a colleague and systems champion, I personally mourn a friend, a mentor, a coach, and a brother. Kodjo, we thank you for everything, and may your soul rest in perfect peace."
Undoubtedly, Dr. Mensah-Abrampa's leadership at the NDPC was instrumental in shaping Ghana's current development agenda. He was a lecturer, researcher, astute planner, and economist who worked with local and international organizations, including the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank.
The IRCWASH family extends our deepest condolences to his family, NDPC colleagues, the Government, and the people of Ghana. We will dearly miss him and his boundless enthusiasm, immeasurable knowledge and intellect, cheerful outlook, and willingness to always go the extra mile for humanity.
We have lost a national pillar, development enthusiast, a great systems leader of international standing, and a dear colleague and friend.
Rest in peace, Kodjo.
