The recent decision to withdraw the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) governing the use of sirens on Ghana’s roads has garnered mixed reactions, with MP for Wa West Constituency, Peter Lanchene Toobu, welcoming the move as a step in the right direction.
According to the politician, “if parliamentarians find themselves in traffic, we are all Ghanaians, it will help parliamentarians realize that the people’s suffering persists. Hopefully, it lets us think deeper and come out with a solution to curb traffic congestion. If we all use sirens, we will have siren traffic.
“If we all resort to sirens for every inconvenience, we risk exacerbating the people’s suffering. This withdrawal allows us to reflect on more sustainable solutions to traffic congestion that benefit all Ghanaians,” he told Nana Yaa Brefo on Onua FM.
Toobu expressed relief over the decision, emphasizing that allowing a broader use of sirens would have transformed Ghana into what he termed a “siren country.”
He highlighted that while emergency services like the Ambulance Service and the President’s motorcades are essential users of sirens, expanding this privilege to parliamentarians and judges could lead to widespread “siren traffic”.
The withdrawal, announced by the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah, on behalf of the Transport Minister, follows extensive public and stakeholder feedback citing concerns about its potential implications.
“It’s mandatory for the Ambulance Service and President to use sirens and motorcades but parliamentarians aren’t part and neither are Judges and the Minister for Transport thought that if he added Parliamentarians and Judges to the list it would help so he introduced it, but people began to talk against it that it will be too open to a lot of people, you will now find Bullion vans passing with sirens, MPs will move with sirens, Ambulance and Fire Services as well, we shall end up being a Siren Country,” Toobu noted on July 17.
Explaining the shift in the Minority’s stance on the L.I., MP Toobu stated that initial support waned as concerns grew among members about the broader implications of unrestricted siren use.
“While some Minority members initially supported the L.I., concerns raised by various stakeholders prompted a reevaluation,” he explained. “We are pleased that the Minister of Transport responded swiftly to these concerns by withdrawing the L.I.”
Regarding alternative solutions for urgent mobility, MP Toobu highlighted existing arrangements with the Ghana Police Service to ensure timely access without resorting to sirens and motorcades.
“We have an arrangement with the Ghana Police Service and even the IGP has said it that if we find ourselves in an emergency situation, we should let him know and he will make available dispatchers to aid our movements,” he said.
By Lois Dogbe
