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Cassiel Ato Forson

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Hon. Dr.
Cassiel Ato Baah Forson
MP
Member of Ghana Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam
Incumbent
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
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 2023
Preceded byHaruna Iddrisu
Personal details
Born (1978-08-05) 5 August 1978 (age 46)[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/

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]

On January 23, 2024, he succeeded Haruna Iddrisu as the Minority Leader of the Parliament of Ghana.[5]

Early life and education

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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.

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

Career

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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. He also served as the chief executive officer for Omega Africa Holding Limited.

Throughout his career, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has been a strong advocate of good governance, transparency and accountability.[9] He is widely respected in the Central Region and across Ghana for his dedication to the service of his country and constituents.

Politics

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Forson is a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He has been the NDC Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam constituency since 2009. Currently, he is the Minority Leader [10][11]

2008 elections

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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.[12]

2012 elections

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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.[13]

2016 elections

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He contested again in the 2016 Ghanaian General Elections and won, giving him the chance to represent his constituency for the third term. In that election, 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.[14]

2020 elections

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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.[15][16]

Deputy Minister for Finance

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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 was also brought to light when he chaired the Committee that implemented the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System Reforms (GIFMIS).[17]

Committees

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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

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

Controversy

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Forson was alleged to have caused financial loss to Ghana in a procurement of 200 ambulances between 2014 and 2016.[18][19][20]

Eventually, Forson and two others were sent to court to answer for charges including wilfully causing financial loss to the state. In court, Forson lawyers told the Court their client did not have a case to answer. However, in March 2023, the Accra High Court where the case was being heard ordered Ato Forson to open his defense. [21] Forson and his lawyers did not take kindly to the decision and made an appeal at the Court of Appeal.

In July 2024, the Appeals Court did not set aside the High Court's decision for Forson and the two others to open their defence, it also acquitted and discharged them of all the charges.[22]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Meet Cassiel Ato Forson: The Deputy Finance Minister Designate". Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Parliament of Ghana". Parliament Ghana. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  3. ^ Online, Peace FM. "Ato Forson's Court Case: An Attempt To Cow Minority Via Machiavellian Tactics – MP". Peacefmonline – Ghana news. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Akufo-Addo spent GH¢63m on foreign travels in 9months – NDC's Ato Forson". Ghanaweb. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. 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. ^ a b c "Ghana MPs – MP Details – Forson, Cassiel Ato Baah". Ghanamps. 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. ^ "Profile of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, NDC's new Minority Leader". GhanaWeb. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Govt's reckless fiscal behaviour, creative accounting cause of economic crisis – Ato Forson". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ Peace FM. "Ghana Election 2008 Results – Ajumako / Enyan / Essiam Constituency". Ghana Elections – Peace FM. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  13. ^ Peace FM. "Ghana Election 2012 Results – Ajumako / Enyan / Essiam Constituency". Ghana Elections – Peace FM. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  14. ^ Peace FM. "Ghana Election 2016 Results – Ajumako / Enyan / Essiam Constituency". Ghana Elections – Peace FM. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  15. ^ FM, Peace. "2020 Election - Ajumako / Enyan / Essiam Constituency Results". Ghana Elections - Peace FM. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  16. ^ "Ajumako Enyan Esiam – Election Data Center – The Ghana Report". Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  17. ^ "Profile of new Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson - MyJoyOnline". www.myjoyonline.com. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ "Ato Forson's trial: Health Minister, counsel clash over ambulance deal". Graphic Online. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  20. ^ "Ambulance case: Cassiel Ato Forson dey acquitted and discharged by Ghana court". BBC News Pidgin. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  21. ^ "Court Orders Ato Forson To Open Defence".
  22. ^ "Ambulance case: Court of Appeal acquits and discharges Ato Forson".
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