Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament, Dominic Ayine, has taken responsibility for the controversial proposed amendment to the Road Traffic Regulations that would have allowed Members of Parliament (MPs) to use sirens and be exempt from speed limits.
The proposal sparked widespread public backlash and criticism from various quarters, prompting Ayine to clarify the committee’s role in the matter.
In an interview on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News, Dr Ayine emphasized that the amendment was merely a proposal and not a directive to the Transport Minister.
He acknowledged the public outcry and accepted responsibility on behalf of his committee for the inconvenience caused by the proposal.
Dr Ayine stated, “I didn’t say that personally, my position is that MPs must be given sirens and be exempted from the speed limit. I never held any position. The point is that it came before my committee and I’m the chairman of the committee so I will take responsibility on behalf of my members. As Chairman of the committee, I take responsibility for everything that the committee has done.”
The proposed amendment, part of the Legislative Instrument (LI) on Road Traffic Regulations Amendment, faced strong opposition from Ghanaians and the minority caucus in Parliament.
Critics argued that such privileges for MPs would create inequality on the roads and undermine road safety measures.