Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Andy Appiah-Kubi, has voiced strong support for a new Legislative Instrument (L.I.) that seeks to amend parts of the Road Traffic Regulations 2012.
The proposed L.I., currently before Parliament, aims to grant Members of Parliament (MPs) and Ministers of State certain privileges previously reserved for emergency and specialized vehicles.
The amendment to Regulation 74 of L.I. 2180 will allow the installation of sirens or bells as warning devices on vehicles owned by Supreme Court justices, MPs, and Ministers of State.
This legislative change is intended to facilitate the movement of these officials, who often face demanding schedules requiring travel to multiple locations for meetings and official duties.
Mr. Appiah-Kubi justified the amendment by highlighting the demanding nature of MPs’ and ministers’ work, which often involves numerous meetings and project planning sessions held in various locations. He emphasized that prolonged time spent in traffic negatively impacts the performance of these officials, potentially leading to delays in critical development projects.
“I know the schedule of work that ministers go through and how they postpone meetings outside ministries trying to finish their regular job in office and be confronted with limited time to reach the next destination for the next official duty. You subject such people to the conditions of traffic on the road. Such people cannot meet the deadline and therefore it is imperative for us to give some access to them to be able to meet the deadline,” he said in an interview on JoyNews.
He further argued that the current traffic conditions contribute to underperformance among some ministers, who are unable to navigate the congested roads swiftly. By granting MPs and ministers the ability to use sirens and bells, the proposed L.I. aims to alleviate the stress of traffic and enhance their capacity to attend meetings and perform their duties effectively.
Mr. Appiah-Kubi also recalled several instances where legislators and judges were arrested for speeding while attempting to reach their offices on time.
He noted that these situations underscore the need for the amendment, which would provide a practical solution to the challenges faced by high-ranking officials in performing their duties.
The Asante Akyem North MP concluded by stressing that the amendment would not only improve the efficiency of MPs and ministers but also hold them accountable for delivering on their mandates. “Eliminating such restrictive laws will enable us to hold these individuals accountable if they fail to deliver on their responsibilities,” he added.
The proposed amendment has sparked debate among various stakeholders, with some advocating for its potential benefits in improving governmental efficiency, while others raise concerns about the broader implications of extending such privileges to elected officials.