Ato Forson calls out MPs for abandoning 2023 budget debate for Qatar

The ranking member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Casiel Ato Forson, has slammed his colleague legislators on the Majority caucus and some government officials who have abandoned government business for Qatar to watch football.

In a post on his Twitter page, the Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Essiam said the decision by some officials to go to Qatar to be part of the ongoing FIFA World Cup sends the wrong signals to Ghanaians.

“At a time of serious economic crisis, Cabinet Ministers and MPs should not abandon the important business of budget consideration to go and watch football in Qatar! The optics are bad! We need to show we are serious about resolving the crisis!”

His comment comes after videos of Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, MP for Ablekuma West surfaced on social media dancing after Ghana beat South Korea on Monday.

On Tuesday, less than 30 MPs from the majority side were in Parliament to participate in the 2023 Budget debate.

As the debate began, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful who is also the Minister for Communications, posted on her official Facebook page a picture of herself and former Holland National Team player, Patrick Kluivert, in Qatar.

Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has served notice that it will kick against the removal of the threshold for the electronic transfer levy (E-Levy).

The government in its 2023 Budget announced a reduction of the E-levy from 1.5 percent to 1 percent with the removal of the GH¢100 threshold.

Debating the 2023 Budget, the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson said such a move would overburden the ordinary Ghanaian hence the decision by the Minority to reject it.

“Mr Speaker, I can confirm to you that we, in the Minority on this matter, will reject it with all our might and strength. We believe that we should not accept this policy.”