James Mercer (diplomat)
 Mercer at the Ghanaian embassy in Tel Aviv, 1964 | |
 GhananAmbassador to  Chinaes:Anexo:Embajadores de Ghana en China | |
|
In office 1962–1963 | |
| Preceded by | es:Cobina Kessie |
| Succeeded by | es:Joe-Fio Neenyann Meyer |
| Ghanan Ambassador to  Israel | |
|
In office 1964–1966 | |
| Preceded by | es:Bediako Poku[1] |
| Succeeded by | Stephen Joseph Asamoah Otu (1915–1979) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 17, 1916 |
James Mercer was a Ghanaian diplomat to Israel during the 1960s and a prominent national lawyer. He was the first chairman of the now-defunct Ghana Airways.
Early life
Mercer was born in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. His twin brother was Thomas Mends Kodwo-Mercer and both attend Adisadel College, Cape Coast, as did many of his siblings, children and grandchildren, a long-standing tradition of his family.[2]
Career
He was a prominent lawyer, working during the government of Kwame Nkrumah and beyond. Mercer was a barrister-at-law[3] at the Sekondi Bar, Chairman of the Ghana/Ivory Coast Border Commission and first Chairman of the now-defunct Ghana Airways.[4]
- From May 24, 1962 to 1963 he was ambassador to Peking.
- From July 1, 1964 to February 24, 1966 he was ambassador to Tel Aviv. (Ghana–Israel relations)
Family
He was the brother of T. M. Kodwo-Mercer, from 1954 to 1956 the first High Commissioner to Britain and uncle of the current Minister of Trade and Industry, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah.[3][5] James Mercer was also the uncle of late Sally Hayfron, first wife of Robert Mugabe.[6]
References
- ↑ Bediako Poku(born 1918) in Gold Coast; 1939-1942: educated Wesley College Kumasi, 1963: Lincoln's Inn; 1943-1945: Headmaster, Kumasi Division School, 1945-1947: Boy's Industrial School; 1948-1950: National Treasurer, Convention People's Party; 1951-1954: Member, Ghana Legislative Assembly; 1954-1959: General Secretary Convention People's Party; 1957: Afro-Asian Conference Cairo; Guinea Democratic Annual Convention 1958; 1959-1964: Ambassador to Israel; 1964 appointed High Commissioner Uganda; Member, Ghana delegations to O.A.U. in Cairo; February 18, 1966 to February 24, 1966: Ambassador to Peking, August 4, 1966:New Ghana Ambassador to USSR Ghana's Ambassador designate to the Soviet Union, Bediako Poku, has left Accra for Moscow to take up his duties. He was formerly Ghana's Ambassador to China
- ↑ "Adisadel College Old Boys Association - Year Group Reports". www.adisadelonline.com. Retrieved 2016-01-04.
- 1 2 "Burial of First African Gold Coast Commissioner to UK". Ghana Web. GHANA HIGH COMMISSION. 28 November 2003.
- ↑ "Reminiscences of Adisadel". adisadelonline.net. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
- ↑ Guttery, Ben (1998). Encyclopedia of African Airlines. McFarland. p. 75. ISBN 9780786404957.
- ↑ Buser, Hans (2010). In Ghana at Independence: Stories of a Swiss Salesman. Basel: Basler Afrika Bibliographien. p. 31. ISBN 3905758199.