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Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North, Andy Appiah-Kubi, has defended a proposed amendment to the Road Traffic Regulations that would allow MPs to use sirens and be exempt from speed limits while performing official duties.
Appiah-Kubi described the public backlash against the move as unfair and explained the rationale behind the amendment in an interview with journalists. He argued that the amendment aims to enhance productivity and ensure MPs can arrive at Parliament on time, given the heavy traffic conditions in Accra.
“We have witnessed situations where some members of parliament, state ministers, and even some judges have been arrested on the road because they are trying to meet their work schedule,” he said. “You go to the police, you go to the Attorney General, you go to the IGP, he says, I implement the law as given and that I cannot help the situation because the law says that.”
Appiah-Kubi emphasized that the exemption is necessary only during congested periods and is intended to facilitate the efficient execution of constitutional duties, not to provide undue privilege. “And indeed, when you are driving on the road in the early hours of the day or late hours of the day, you don’t need any siren or you don’t need any special access. It is when there is congestion on the road and there is also the need for you to meet deadlines by way of time, that need will arise,” he explained.
He expressed disappointment at the public backlash, calling it unfair and motivated by hatred, jealousy, and mistrust. “I don’t see why we have to impugn hatred, impugn jealousy, impugn mistrust into the provision. It is omnibus and it covers a lot of institutions, so attempts to single out one particular institution for rebuke is not fair.”
Appiah-Kubi reiterated that the amendment is a legal solution to ensure that MPs, state ministers, and judges can perform their duties effectively without being hindered by traffic-related delays. “The remedy is to amend the law to make it lawful for people like that to have special access where necessary,” he concluded.
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