The Road Traffic Amendment Regulations 2024 that was withdrawn in July, following public uproar has been re-laid. The Legislative Instrument (LI), would have allowed Members of Parliament and others to use sirens whilst driving on our roads
Though the new regulation, as laid, excluded the Speaker, MPs and the Chief Justice from using sirens and motorcades, Parliament has been united, demanding that they are included.
Members from both sides of the political divide took turns to contribute to the issue, emphasising the need for the House to boldly defend itself and explain to the public the prudence in having such privilege.
During day two of the extraordinary sitting of Parliament on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 the Speaker, Alban Sumana Bagbin, referred the L.I. to the Subsidiary Legislation Committee for consideration and directed the committee to input the concerns raised by members.
Knowing that an L.I., according to law, matures automatically 21 days from the day it is laid and no changes could be made to the content, MPs suggested that it should be withdrawn for the changes to be reflected and relayed.
However, Speaker Bagbin directed that it should not be withdrawn and that the committee should consider the L.I. in its entirety and draw the attention of the House to areas identified, apart from those discussed.
“I agree with you. But let’s not just withdraw the instrument. Let’s do the proper thing. Let’s consider it in its entirety. There are other areas you can identify apart from this. Then you draw the attention of the house, and then the proper thing will be done at the end of the day,” he said.
The Speaker continued that, “So I will reiterate the referral to the committee to consider and report to the house. Please, let’s go by that.”
IT’S WRONG
In his comments, the former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, expressed concerns over the exclusion of the Speaker and the Chief of Staff from the list of state officials who could use sirens and motorcades.
“In my view, it’s wrong for the number three to be out of this privilege. The Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana is also out of the motor traffic regulation, not entitled to it. You can keep Ministers and Members of Parliament out,” he said.
Haruna added, “Yes, MPs. There will even be times that, Mr. Speaker, leadership is here, where you have to take a major vote. You are looking for a member who is still in his constituency in Kasoa; you want his vote here because you want him to exercise a mandate. That is not abuse of a motorcade or a police siren. So, Mr. Speaker, let’s guard against our privileges and immunities as MPs. It is guaranteed additional rights because of the role we play.”
Former Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, also expressed concerns, arguing that the investment made to have privileges for the Speaker could not be thrown away by the new L.I.
BE BOLD
The First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu, indicated that what was critical was that “we stand together on matters that are important to us.”
The MP for Assin South, Kennedy Agyepong, cautioned his colleagues against kowtowing to public pressure.
“My contribution is to caution my colleagues to be bold for once, because we’ve been cowards to the public. Anything concerning Parliament, we are afraid of the reaction of the public. And anything that the government needs, they will first come to Parliament. For a whole Speaker to say that he cannot even enjoy a motorcade.
“Although we are servants to them, we also have to enjoy rights. I want you Members to be bold. Look, in case there is an emergency and you need members of Parliament from, say, Adentan to come here. So, if he enjoys a motorcade, is it a sin? Mr Speaker, I am speaking for Parliament,” he added.
CONSISTENT
The Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin, spoke sternly to his colleagues, reminding them of what compelled the Minister for Transport to withdraw the earlier regulation.
“Mr Speaker, I think that as a House we have to be very consistent. Members of Parliament cannot always run away when there is an issue regarding their welfare and turn around to demand the same rights. And to say sadly, today, this is affecting you. When the instrument originally was laid, there was a pre-laying. Members of Parliament made inputs. At the end of the day, we left the learned Professor, Dr. Dominic Ayine, in the cooler. Politicians are always in a rush to protect their heads when there is crisis. But sometimes we can have a collective fall. We know the challenges we face coming from home. We know going to the constituency,” he said.
He continued that, Honourable Minister, it’s my humble prayer to you that in view of the issues that have come up, we have a second look at this regulation to include MPs, an essential public of… Mr. Speaker, that we need MPs and key appointees whose work will require the use of certain privileges to be included. The fact that they will be listed does not mean every day they are going to have it in use.”
NOTHINGNESS
The Speaker urged members to stand up for what is right, as there are only two people elected on the 7th of December in the election year—the president and the member of parliament.
“And the two of you are to lead the people to make their conditions better. Then you allow yourselves to be reduced to nothingness because you are afraid of responsibilities. I am not. When this matter came up, it was a shock to me because we are said to have amended the regulations, and my reaction was that parliament could not amend a regulation. That is when they took it up. I was also bashed…”
“Now, timorous souls, they went back, and look at what they are bringing to you. These heads that you have, if you are using the heads properly they will always be on top. It is when you are using it wrongly that they will cut it off. Please, let’s stand for what is right and do what is right. Let’s have the gut. Let allow the committee to go and look at it,” he said.
