Speaker and Chief Justice Excluded from Siren Privileges in New Traffic Law

In a recent development, the Office of the Speaker of Parliament and the Chief Justice have been excluded from the list of high-ranking public officials allowed to install sirens in their official vehicles and use a motorcade. This change was highlighted by former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu during the presentation of a new road traffic Legislative Instrument (L.I.) before Parliament.

Iddrisu criticized the omission, arguing that both the Speaker of Parliament and the Chief Justice should be included in the list of officials with such privileges. He emphasized that excluding these key figures from siren privileges undermines their roles in the country’s governance.

The L.I. had previously been withdrawn due to public backlash over proposals to extend similar privileges to Members of Parliament (MPs). Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin expressed concerns that the exclusion could hinder MPs’ ability to perform their duties, particularly when dealing with issues in their constituencies.

Speaker Alban Bagbin urged MPs to assertively defend their positions and take responsibility for their roles. He highlighted the importance of leadership in a functioning democracy, stressing that MPs and the president are elected to lead and improve conditions for the people.