Accra, March 10, GNA- Mr John Hayford Mensah, (SNR) alias Kodwo Wangara, the 87 year-old founder of St. Johns Grammar and St. Johns Preparatory and Primary Schools, in Accra is dead.

Mr Mensah who died on February 12, 2005, started his education at Anomabo and was a product of St. Augustine's College, from 1938 to 1942.

Some of his contemporaries were the late Archbishop Kwadwo Amissah, Mr J.J. Mensah-Kane, former Headmaster of Ghana National College, Dr. O.K. Amoah, former Administrator of KorleBu Teaching Hospital and Mr Kofi Baako, former Minister of Defence during the first republic. He worked as a pupil teacher at the Roman Catholic Senior School at Dunkwa on Offin and was later conscripted to the then Home Guard Military Unit during the Second World War.

He later trained as a Pharmacist and at the age of 29, he established his own pharmacy.

Mr Mensah founded St Johns Grammar on May 16, 1954 and St. Johns Preparatory and Primary school in September 1959. The accomplished Hotelier was installed as Supi ( head) of Anomabu/ Egyaa number six Asafo Company.

He was a founding member of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools, a farmer and hotelier. Mr Mensah was a staunch Catholic.