I’m unaware of L.I. granting MPs use of sirens, speed limit exemptions – Bagbin

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has denied knowledge of a Legislative Instrument before the House seeking to amend the Road Traffic Regulations.

The L.I on Road Traffic Regulations Amendment offers lawmakers, among other state officials, the opportunity to use sirens and be exempted from speed limits.

The L.I. has received backlash, with the minority caucus demanding its immediate withdrawal by the Transport Minister.

Alban Bagbin, reacting to the matter at a public lecture on private member bills at the University of Ghana, said Parliament does not have the power, as stated by the constitution, to amend a regulation.

“There is nothing like that before parliament, and so I thought something was being done behind my back. So, I started calling all over, and all my directors [and they] said they had not seen anything like that, and I have the responsibility of admitting many of these things; sometimes they may overrule me, but I haven’t seen any such LI.

“Later on, I was told that it was a regulation that Parliament was amending. We don’t amend regulations as per the constitution. So, to start, it cannot be true because Parliament doesn’t have that power. In fact, power has been relegated to other bodies,” he stated.