Cassiel Ato Forson

Cassiel Ato Baah Forson is a Ghanaian politician and member of parliament from 2009 to date. Dr. Forson first joined the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana, before retaining his seat for the Sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana, Seventh Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana and the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana representing the Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam Constituency in the Central Region on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).[2][3] In 2013 he served as the deputy minister for Finance.[4][1]

Hon. Dr.
Cassiel Ato Baah Forson
MP
Member of Ghana Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam
Assumed office
7 January 2009
Deputy Minister for Finance
In office
March 2013 – January 2017
PresidentJohn Dramani Mahama
Preceded byFiifi Kwetey
Succeeded byCharles Adu Boahen
Minority Leader in Parliament
Assumed office
January 2023
Preceded byHaruna Iddrisu
Personal details
Born (1978-08-05) 5 August 1978[1]
Ajumako Bisease, Ghana
NationalityGhana Ghanaian
Political partyNational Democratic Congress
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Oxford, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, South Bank University
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionAccountant
CommitteesFinance Committee (Ranking Member): House Committee; Foreign Affairs Committee; Committee of Selection Committee
Websitehttps://cassielatoforson.org/

He is currently the Minority Leader in Parliament of Ghana.[5]

Early life and education

Dr. Forson was born on 5 August 1978 and hails from Ajumako Bisease in the Central Region of Ghana.[2] He obtained a PhD in Business and Management (finance option) in September 2020 from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana.[6] Prior to getting the doctorate, the MP had two master's degrees: A master of Science in Taxation from the University of Oxford, UK and another Master of Science degree in economics from KNUST. He had his first degree in accounting at the South Bank University in London.

Dr. Forson is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana and a fellow of Chartered Institute of Taxation.[1][7]

Career

Dr. Forson is a Ghanaian Legislator, Fiscal Economist, Chartered Accountant, Tax practitioner and Entrepreneur with professional experience spanning two decades in both private and public sectors.[8] He was the managing director of Forson Contracts Limited in the United Kingdom. And he also served as the chief executive officer for Omega Africa Holding Limited.

Politics

Dr. Forson is a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He has been the NDC member of parliament representative for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam constituency since 2009. He is currently the Minority Leader [9][10]

2008 elections

In 2008 he contested in the Ghanaian General Elections and won. He garnered 18, 593 votes which represents 51.66% of the total votes cast and hence defeated the other contestants including William Kow Arthur-Baiden, Alex Arthur, Rexford Mensah and Evans Addo-Nkum.[11]

2012 elections

Under the ticket of the National Democratic Congress again, he contested in the 2012 Ghanaian General Elections and won by obtaining 24,752 votes which represented 52.67% of the total votes cast.[12]

2016 elections

In 2016, he contested again in the 2016 Ghanaian General Elections and won again giving him the chance to represent his constituency for the third term. During the 2016 elections, he contested against Ransford Emmanuel Kwesi Nyarko, Jerry Henry Quansah, Sarah Mensah and Monica Daapong. He defeated them by obtaining 25,601 votes which represented 53.55% of the total votes cast.[13]

2020 elections

In the 2020 Ghanaian general elections, he again won the parliamentary seat with 39,229 votes making 58.1% of the total votes cast whiles the NPP parliamentary candidate Etuaful Rashid Kwesi had 28,229 votes making 41.8% of the total votes cast and the NDP parliamentary candidate Samuel Akombisa had 117 votes making 0.2% of the total votes cast.[14][15]

Deputy Minister for Finance

In 2009 he became a member of the Parliament of Ghana and served as the deputy minister for Finance in 2013.[7] As deputy Minister he served as a member of Ghana's Economic Management Team. He has also served on several boards including that of the Bank of Ghana and Ghana Cocoa Board. He was also Ghana's Alternate Governor at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. His expertise were also brought to light when he chaired the Committee that implemented the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System Reforms (GIFMIS).

Committees

Forson is a Ranking Member of the Finance Committee; a member of the House Committee; a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and also a member of the Committee of Selection Committee; special budget committee; House committee[2]

Personal life

Forson is a Christian. He is married with two children.[7]

Controversy

Forson was alleged to have caused financial loss to Ghana in a procurement of 200 ambulances between 2014 and 2016.[16][17]

An Accra High Court has ordered Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Minority leader in Parliament, to open his defence in the €2.37 million ambulance case.[18]

In July 2023, Forson accused Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe, a Court of Appeal Judge and the Judge in charge of the case of not being fair to him. [19]

References
  1. "Meet Cassiel Ato Forson: The Deputy Finance Minister Designate". Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  2. "Parliament of Ghana". www.parliament.gh. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  3. Online, Peace FM. "Ato Forson's Court Case: An Attempt To Cow Minority Via Machiavellian Tactics – MP". Peacefmonline.com – Ghana news. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  4. "Akufo-Addo spent GH¢63m on foreign travels in 9months – NDC's Ato Forson". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  5. "Ato Forson replaces Haruna Iddrisu as Minority Leader". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 24 January 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  6. "Ato Forson gets PhD from KNUST". Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana. 19 September 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  7. "Ghana MPs – MP Details – Forson, Cassiel Ato Baah". www.ghanamps.com. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  8. "10 things you didn't know about new Minority Leader, Dr. Ato Forson". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  9. "Govt's reckless fiscal behaviour, creative accounting cause of economic crisis – Ato Forson". BusinessGhana. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  10. "Your 'Mickey Mouse' debt restructuring will hurt Ghana – Ato Forson to gov't". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  11. Peace FM. "Ghana Election 2008 Results – Ajumako / Enyan / Essiam Constituency". Ghana Elections – Peace FM. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  12. Peace FM. "Ghana Election 2012 Results – Ajumako / Enyan / Essiam Constituency". Ghana Elections – Peace FM. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  13. Peace FM. "Ghana Election 2016 Results – Ajumako / Enyan / Essiam Constituency". Ghana Elections – Peace FM. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  14. FM, Peace. "2020 Election - Ajumako / Enyan / Essiam Constituency Results". Ghana Elections - Peace FM. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  15. "Ajumako Enyan Esiam – Election Data Center – The Ghana Report". Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  16. admin (18 January 2022). "Dr Ato Forson to appear in court today over allegations of causing financial loss to the state". Ghanaian Times. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  17. "Ato Forson's trial: Health Minister, counsel clash over ambulance deal". Graphic Online. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  18. emmakd (31 March 2023). "Court orders Ato Forson, two others to open defence in acquisition of ambulances". Ghana Business News. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  19. "Ambulance case: Ato Forson accuses judge of bias". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
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