James Van Leuven Mensah

**James Van Leuven Mensah** (wey people dey call am **J.V.L. Mensah**) be Ghanaian accountant, public servant, banker, plus politician.

## Early life den education
Na dem born am for Kengen, Ghana, to Joseph Mensah plus Yanke Adela on 8 February 1937. Ein poppie come from Nkroful. After dem settle for Kengen, Joseph name ein son after one Dutch missionary wey he work plus am, Fr. Van Leuven, for de local Saint Mary's Catholic Church.

Mensah go de local school insyd den write de Common Entrance Examination for Axim. After interview for Cape Coast, dem admit am go Achimota School. He complete de Cambridge Overseas School Certificate GCE Ordinary Level equivalent for 1955. He go College of Technology, Kumasi for 1956. In 1962, he attend School of Administration, Achimota, wey he study ACCA Intermediate Accountancy. In 1965, he go England go complete ein ACCA Final in Accountancy for Balham and Tooting College of Commerce wey he come become member of ACCA dat same year. He turn Fellow (FCCA) for 1973.

Insyd 1 983, while he dey UK, he enroll for one inter LLB course for Charts University College London. He later transfer go University of Buckingham wey dem award am honours degree for 1985. He go US go start Masters in Law for Penn State Law for 1986.

## Career den public life
Mensah work plus United Africa Company (UAC) from 1957 go 1965 as management trainee den trainee accountant before e travel go UK. As e dey there, e too work for United Africa Company. Wen e return come Ghana after ein studies, e start work plus Bank of Ghana as internal auditor. Later, dem make am Chief Internal Auditor den Bank Examiner. Insyd May 1975, Mensah take position as Managing Director for de then-Ghana Supply Commission (wey now be Ghana Supply Company Limited). As Managing Director, e represent de Commission both insyd de country den abroad, den e handle administrative plus legal matters on behalf of de Commission. E try collect debt wey Trefalcon — one company wey dey deal plus de Commission — owe de Commission den de Government of Ghana but dem no pay. As e dey work for Ghana Supply Commission, e protect de best interest of de Government of Ghana against foreign businesses through legal proceedings, den by doing dat, e set legal precedents wey now dem dey use well-well insyd commercial law, textbooks, den law studies.

## Political life
Mensah ein political career short small. For 1979, dem elect am give de seat for Jomoro (Ghana parliament constituency) (Nzema West), den e become Member of Parliament for dat area under de People's National Party wey Hilla Limann dey lead. As Member of Parliament, dem report say e advise de youth of de Jomoro area make dem refrain from chieftaincy affairs for one fundraising ceremony wey de youth organise for Tikobo Number 2 insyd January 1981 but make dem rather direct demma efforts towards development of de area. Ein contribution cut short by de coup of 31 December 1981 wey carry Jerry Rawlings plus de Provisional National Defence Council come power for Ghana.

## Rural banking work
Wen e return come Ghana after some time wey e spend for England, USA, plus Ivory Coast, e work plus ein local Jomoro Rural Bank for Tikobo 1, wey e play key role set up insyd 1981, as Chairman of de Board of Directors. As e dey address de 12th Annual General Meeting of shareholders for 2008, e talk say e run de bank well even though competition hard plus dem lose some customers to traditional den foreign banks wey dey de area. E increase net profit by 47.90 percent from GH¢14,000 for de previous year go GH¢27,630 for de year wey dem dey review. De bank ein investments rise from GH¢744,149 for 2006 go GH¢808,242 for 2007, den loans wey dem give out rise from GH¢512,872 to GH¢652,292, wey be 21.27 percent increase. He fight bank fraud wey lead to de prosecution for Sekondi High Court of three syndicate members wey chop de bank ein money for April 2007.

## Ein life matter
Mensah get five daughters plus two sons. He die for ein house for Kengen on 29 October 2021, aged 84.

## References