Ato Forson refuses to join Ursula at the 'brothel', urges her to have decent discourse

A statement released by the Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson has urged the Communication Minister, Ursula Owusu to engage in decent discourse as a public officer who occupies transient position only at the pleasure of the people she is expected to serve with decorum and honour.

The five-paragraph statement is in response to the Communication Minister's statement that If she wants lessons in good morals, she certainly will not go to a brothel for it.

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful was called by Mr. Forson for her directive to Mobile Network Operators to stop the upfront deduction of the Communications Service Tax (CST).

READ ALSO : Report telcos that still deduct CST upfront – Gov’t to Ghanaians

Mr. Forson said the Minister's directive was illegal. The row follows the government’s increasing of the CST from six percent to nine percent.

 

The telcos in Ghana also adopted the six percent but later increases theirs to nine percent to consumers by an upfront deduction from airtime purchases.

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful then directed them to stop this and rather treat the CST as the Valued Added Tax (VAT) or any other tax.

Mr. Forson does not agree, explaining that only the Ghana Revenue Authority is empowered to give orders on tax administration.

READ ALSO : GRA directs telcos to start charging revised CST

But the Minister disagrees. According to her, the Electronic Communications Act which gives the legal basis for mobile networks to operate in the country also gives her the power to issue policy directives to the regulator, the National Communications Authority.

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful says Mr. Forson's reading of the law is his opinion, adding that if she wants lessons in good morals, “I certainly won’t go to the brothel for it.”

Ato Forson in response said "it is important to note that even though the Electronic Communication Act gives the Minister for Communication the right to issue directives to the regulator of the sector, it does not give the Minister to issue written directives that are necessary for the administration and implementation of the tax laws as stated in Section 1, subsection 1 and 2 of the Revenue Administration Act."

He further advised the Communication Minister with a bible verse from Colossians 4:6 saying that he refused to join the Minister at the brothel.

 "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."