The Minority in Parliament has rejected a request for approval of a multi-year commitment for the rollout of fiscal electronic devices, describing the move as a “blank cheque” due to the absence of key project details.

Ofoase Ayirebi MP and Ranking Member on Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the Minority was not against the fiscal electronic devices project but objected to Parliament approving it without knowing the cost, timeline, contractor and yearly financial implications.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Tuesday, he said the government’s request did not provide enough information for Parliament to properly assess the commitment.

“They didn’t state how much the project will cost? How many years this multi-year approval is for? Who is the contractor? And number four, what is the year-by-year fiscal impact?” he said.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah said approving the request without those details would amount to giving government unrestricted authority over a major financial commitment.

“And that was the point that we were trying to make to Mr Speaker: that if we give this approval without this information, it’s a blank cheque that has been given to the government, and no government, whether the NPP or NDC government, should be given such a blank cheque,” he stated.

He explained that the Minority had made it clear it supported the objective of introducing fiscal electronic devices but could not support what it considered an incomplete approval process.

“We are not opposed to the fiscal electronic devices project. We are opposed to the fact that Parliament is giving them a blank cheque on a multi-year commitment,” he said.

According to him, the Majority argued that the details would be worked out after Parliament granted approval, a position the Minority disagreed with.

“They were of the view that after Parliament gives them that approval, then they’ll go and work out those details, and so we had no choice but let them know that we cannot support that transaction until this information is disclosed to us,” he said.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah also raised concerns about other revenue-related transactions brought before Parliament, including taxation on international digital platforms and a new domestic revenue platform.

He said the Minority questioned the possibility of double taxation on services such as Netflix and Starlink because users may already be paying taxes where the products and services are purchased.

“We explained to them in detail that people are already paying taxes on these products, wherever they are buying them from. These products and services. If you tax them again in the Ghanaian jurisdiction, that is double taxation,” he said.

He added that the Minority would seek further information under the Right to Information Act, including contracts and schedules relating to the transactions.

“We have served notice that we’re going to come under RTI rules to request for copies of whatever contracts, schedules, etc. which they have already, they are just not disclosing to Parliament,” he said.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah further warned companies that may be involved in the fiscal electronic devices project that they should not assume they have parliamentary protection.

“We are serving notice that they don’t have parliamentary cover. What has been given them is just a blank cheque. And so, if you think that this blank cheque gives you parliamentary cover, you don’t have parliamentary cover. You deal with them at your own risk,” he said.

He insisted that Parliament had not approved any contractor, amount or implementation schedule for the project.

“Parliament has not approved any company, has not approved any amount, has not approved any such schedule,” he said.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah added that proper parliamentary approval, as required under the Public Financial Management Act, must be obtained before the transaction proceeds.