Joseph Henry Mensah (31 October 1928 – 12 July 2018) was a Ghanaian politician and economist.

In his early education, J. H. Mensah attended Achimota School. He proceeded to the University of the Gold Coast (now University of Ghana) between 1948 and 1954. He then headed to the University of London then Stanford University, where he earned both a bachelor's and master's degree with a specialization in economic theory and development. In 1954, Mensah became a Research Fellow in Economics at the University of Ghana, which lasted until 1958.

Mensah began working as an assistant inspector of taxes in 1953 while the Gold Coast was still under colonial rule. In 1958, Mensah joined the United Nations Secretariat at the Centre for Development Planning, Projections and Policies, in New York City, United States. Mensah returned to Ghana in 1961 as the Head of Agency at the National Planning Commission. The National Planning commission drew and implemented the country's Seven-Year Development Plan (1963/64–1969/70). In 1969, he was elected to parliament and became the Finance minister in the Busia government until 1972, when he was replaced by the future head of state Ignatius Kutu Acheampong after the military coup d'état.

Beginning in 1974, Mensah worked in the private sector both in Ghana and abroad. He was imprisoned by the National Redemption Council from 1975 to 1978. Although banned from political activity in 1979, he was active for the Popular Front Party in the 1979 elections. He also served as Chairman of the Sunyani District Council in Brong-Ahafo Region (1979–1981), and proprietor of Banka Farms. Exiled in England, in 1983 he headed a group opposing the PNDC. He also served on the African Advisory Council of the African Development Bank from 1993 to 1997. In December 1996, Mensah contested a parliamentary seat in the Sunyani East constituency as a member of the New Patriotic Party, which he won. He was re-elected in 2000. Prior to John Kufuor's election in 2001, Mensah was the Minority Leader in Parliament from 1997 to 2001. In addition, he served as Minister and Leader of Government Business from 2001 to 2003; Minister for Public Sector Reform and National Institutional Renewal Programme from 2003 to 2005 as well as Senior Minister from 2005 to 2006 all during the Kufuor-led administration.

He was the older brother of the former First Lady, Theresa Kufuor. J. H. Mensah died on Thursday 12 July 2018 at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra after a protracted illness, having suffered a stroke a year earlier.

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