Former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu has raised concerns over the exclusion of the Speaker of Parliament and the Chief Justice from the list of high-ranking public officials allowed to install sirens in their official vehicles and use a motorcade.
This issue came to light after a new road traffic Legislative Instrument (L.I.) was introduced in Parliament.
Mr. Iddrisu emphasized that the omission was not about personalizing the matter to Speaker Alban Sumana Bagbin but rather about the position itself.
He argued, “This is not about Alban Sumana Bagbin; it’s about the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, who, in my view, deserves the privilege of a motorcade and police siren. It is wrong for the number three position in the country to be excluded from this.”
He further pointed out that, the Chief Justice is also excluded from the Motor Traffic Regulation, stating, “The Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana is not entitled to this privilege either.
While ministers and members of parliament are included, it is essential to recognize the significance of the four key personalities in the republic: the President, the Vice President, the Speaker, and the Chief Justice.”
The L.I. was previously withdrawn due to public backlash over the proposal to grant Members of Parliament (MPs) similar privileges.
Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin expressed concern over the exclusion, arguing that it could hinder MPs in carrying out their duties to the people of Ghana.
“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.
“We belittle ourselves. You are a politician and you cannot take public bashing and go and explain to the public? Even you have MPs criticising Article 71 benefits that they have benefitted from and we hear them on radio and they continue to benefit? We have to take our democracy a little more seriously.”
Meanwhile, Speaker Alban Bagbin has urged the members of Parliament to be assertive and defend their positions whenever necessary.
“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.
“There are only two people elected on December 7 every election year and they are the president and the MP and the two of you are to lead the people to make their condition better.”
Source: AdomOnline