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The new road traffic Legislative Instrument (L.I.) has stirred controversy by excluding the Speaker of Parliament and the Chief Justice from the list of high-ranking officials authorized to install sirens and use motorcades in their official vehicles.
This change has been met with criticism from several quarters.
Former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu raised concerns during a parliamentary session, arguing that it was unjust to deny the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament and the Chief Justice these privileges.
“Without personalizing it, it is not Alban Sumana 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,” Iddrisu stated.
He also emphasized that both the Speaker and the Chief Justice hold significant constitutional roles that should merit such privileges.
The L.I. was previously withdrawn due to public backlash over a proposal to extend similar privileges to Members of Parliament (MPs). Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin expressed concerns that excluding MPs from such benefits could impede their ability to effectively perform their duties.
“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. It is not that a Member of Parliament, by virtue of having a siren, will use it every day,” he argued.
Speaker Alban Bagbin responded by urging MPs to be assertive in defending their positions and responsibilities.
“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 will 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,” Bagbin asserted.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH
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