LI on siren use: A lot of NDC MPs were unhappy about it – Ablakwa

The North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, says a lot of the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) lawmakers were unhappy about the Legislative Instrument (LI) seeking permission for MPs and Ministers to use sirens and be exempted from speed limits.

According to Mr Ablakwa, there were protests from the other MPs since they did not have any idea about the LI.

Speaking on JoyFM’s SMS on July 18, he said, “When this matter became public on our platforms, many MPs said, what is this? We are seeing it for the first time. It was Franklin Cudjoe who put it up. There were protests. MPs were not happy. That is why our caucus leader had to issue a statement. Could you believe that even the leadership of our caucus didn’t know the content of this?”

Read also: Government has no appetite granting siren use rights to MPs, Ministers – Hassan Tampuli
According to Mr Ablakwa, leadership of the minority was unaware of the specifics of the LI, leading to a call for its withdrawal.

“He also issued a memo to leadership of all committees that, before any matter is finalised and laid on the floor, they should let him see it. I have received a copy of that memo. So look, I have said publicly that I don’t support this. I think it’s needless,” he said.

Expressing his opposition to the LI, Mr Ablakwa stated that the congestion on the roads should be eased for all citizens rather than granting privileges to specific groups.

“Why not ease the burden for everybody? Why do you want to take the ruling class out and I have seen that, from what has been put out in the media, they have added security operatives and all that. It is such a wide ambit. We don’t need that.”

“This is so needless. It is a useless distraction. I am surprised that such a thing was brought to the house in the first place and contemplated,” he said.

However, the Managing Director of the State Transport Corporation (STC), Nana Akomea, accused the NDC of hypocrisy.

According to him, the chairperson of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee is a member of the minority group and suggested that the LI. came from a minority-led committee.

Read also: Siren and speed limit proposal came from minority-led Parliamentary Committee – Hassan Tampuli
“There is an attempt to put it on government. That, it is government that is bringing an L.I. I could say to you that the subsidiary legislation is chaired by the NDC. So if anything goes through that committee, then whatever goes through there is inspired by the NDC.”

Meanwhile, the Deputy Transport Minister, Hassan Tampuli, expressed relief that the L.I. has been withdrawn, acknowledging that it originated from the Committee and not the government.

“So these provisions were not from the government, it came from Parliament and nobody among the Subsidiary Legislation Committee can say, it isn’t from there and we are happy to be withdrawing this L.I.”