Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has clarified that there is no Legislative Instrument (L.I) on sirens currently before the House.

He expressed surprise at reports suggesting otherwise.

Public outrage has grown over a proposed amendment to the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012, which would allow MPs, ministers, and other officials to use sirens and be exempt from speed limits.

Speaking at the University of Ghana Parliament House anniversary today, July 16, Speaker Bagbin explained that Parliament does not have the constitutional power to amend regulations, as this authority is delegated to other bodies.

He emphasised that Parliament can only accept or reject such instruments in their entirety.

“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.