Recent amendments to Ghana’s road traffic regulations have removed the Speaker of Parliament and the Chief Justice from the list of senior officials allowed to use sirens and motorcades for their official duties.
Former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has criticized this decision, asserting that the Speaker of Parliament should still be granted these privileges.
“Without personalising it, it is not Alban Bagbin. It is the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, and he is not entitled to a motorcade or a police siren? In my view, Mr Speaker, it is wrong for the number three to be out of this privilege,” Mr. Iddrisu said.
He also highlighted the exclusion of the Chief Justice, asserting: “The Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana is also out of the Motor Traffic Regulation and not entitled to it.
Mr Speaker, you can keep a minister and member of parliament but this republic has four important personalities; the president, the vice president, the speaker, and the chief justice.”
The Legislative Instrument (L.I.) in question had been previously withdrawn due to public criticism surrounding similar proposals affecting Members of Parliament (MPs).
This renewed attention has generated concerns among lawmakers.
Majority Leader Alexander Kwamina-Markin voiced his worries that the exclusion might impair MPs’ ability to fulfil their responsibilities effectively.
“Politicians are always in a rush to save their heads when there is a crisis, but sometimes, we can have a collective fall. We know the challenges we face coming from home and going to our constituencies,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin said.
He defended the use of sirens by MPs, arguing: “It is not that a Member of Parliament, by virtue of having a siren, will use it every day. We belittle ourselves. You are a politician and you cannot take public bashing and go and explain to the public?”
In response, Speaker Alban Bagbin urged members of Parliament to assertively defend their positions.
“Today, when you are talking about a major democracy and spineless Parliament, leadership matters. You must be prepared to take responsibility and defend your positions.
If the people knew like you, they would not elect you to lead them, and so they expect you to lead them and be able to persuade them that you are doing so in their interest,” the Speaker said.