Siren Brouhaha: Be Careful Of The Minority And NDC – Kabilla Cautions  NPP Majority 

James Kwabena Bomfeh alias Kabilla has welcomed the revocation of the proposed amendment to the Road Traffic Regulations that would allow MPs to use sirens and exempt them from speed limits while carrying out official duties.

The Ministry of Transport laid before Parliament a Legislative Instrument (L.I) seeking to amend portions of the Road Traffic Regulations 2012.

The new changes, if passed, would have granted MPs, Ministers and Supreme Court Justices privileges for emergency and specialized vehicles which would give them the right of way.

The amendment of Regulation 74 of LI 2180 would permit the installation of sirens as warning appliances on their vehicles.

But the Minority who, according to Majority Chief Whip and MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annor Dompreh, made the suggestion have objected to the proposal resulting in the MPs revoking their request.

Minority’s Opposition

“The report of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee is yet to be brought to the floor for debate and discussion. However, given the sentiments expressed so far, Members of the NDC Minority Caucus wish to make it abundantly clear that we stand with the Ghanaian public on this issue and wish to signal our opposition to the amendment without any reservations.

Therefore, we have instructed all our Members on the Committee to strongly oppose it at the committee level. We have also directed all 137 NDC Members of Parliament to vote en bloc against the Legislative Instrument when it is brought to the floor.

The government must redirect its attention to addressing the germain issues facing the people of Ghana at the moment such as high cost of living, food inflation, unemployment, high cost of fuel, the depreciation of the Cedi and the high tax regime which is forcing businesses to relocate to neighbouring countries in West Africa.”

Setting The Record Straight

Hon. Annor Dompreh chastised the Minority for their turnaround saying; “I was rudely shocked when I saw that statement. Even though from my sources, it appears to be a personal statement he had issued. Members of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee were engaged extensively by the Minister of Transport because he wanted to pick their views on the Amended Legislative Instrument.”

“In the 2012 L.I. the Vice-President doesn’t have a provision, the Chief Justice and the Speaker of Parliament were all not included in those privileges. And for that matter, the Transport Minister intended to include the Vice-President, Speaker of Parliament and the Chief Justice. Then there was a strong suggestion led by the Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee, Hon. Dominic Ayine who insisted that the Members of Parliament be captured in the L.I. But the Transport Minister resisted it. But the Minority NDC MPs made it a condition else they won’t participate.”

Hypocrites

Speaking on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” morning show, Kabilla cautioned the Majority in Parliament and the government against dealing with the Minority.

He called the Minority’s reversal act “hypocritical”, reiterating Hon. Dompreh’s revelation that they were the ones who called for sirens to be fitted in their vehicles.

To him, the Minority’s U-turn after the public backlash should serve as a lesson to the government.

This notwithstanding, Kabilla was elated that this decision has been rescinded, stressing “it was wrongly timed to have introduced that bill”.

Source: Ghmessenger.com