Bagbin Orders MPs To Obey New Escort, Siren Rules

Alban S.K. Bagbin

 

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin, has directed Members of Parliament (MPs) to comply with a new government directive regulating the use of police escort services and vehicle sirens, warning that offenders could face enforcement action by the Ghana Police Service.

Addressing Parliament yesterday, Mr. Bagbin said his office had received a communication from the Minister for the Interior requesting that lawmakers and the Parliamentary Service be informed of the directive, which seeks to ensure the lawful and accountable use of state security resources.

The directive requires that no individual install or use a siren on either an official or private vehicle without prior written authorisation from the Minister for the Interior.

It also stipulates that no person may use police resources, particularly police escort services, without written approval from either the Interior Minister or the Inspector General of Police acting on behalf of the minister.

Conveying the contents of the communication to the House, the Speaker urged MPs to take note of the requirements and ensure strict compliance.

“Accordingly, I encourage all members to take note of the contents of the directive and to ensure that, in the use of police resources, police escort services and sirens, members act at all times in accordance with the Constitution, the laws of Ghana and all lawful administrative requirements,” he stated.

Mr. Bagbin disclosed that the Ghana Police Service had been directed to enforce the new measures, including the removal and seizure of unauthorised sirens, the withdrawal of unauthorised police escort services and the institution of legal action where necessary.

The Speaker stressed that the efficient and lawful use of public resources was a matter of national importance, noting that police personnel and logistics were national assets that must be deployed judiciously and in accordance with the law.

“The Ghana Police Service performs critically important constitutional functions relating to the maintenance of law and order, the protection of life and property, and the preservation of public safety,” he said.

According to him, the indiscriminate installation and use of sirens undermines road safety, weakens public confidence in lawful authority and reduces the effectiveness of emergency and security services that genuinely require priority access on the roads.

Mr. Bagbin reminded lawmakers that Parliament had consistently enacted legislation aimed at promoting accountability, transparency and prudent management of public resources, making it imperative for MPs to lead by example.

“As lawmakers and representatives of the people, we bear an even greater obligation to demonstrate fidelity to the laws that we enact and to uphold the highest standards of public conduct,” he said.

The Speaker further advised MPs who may require clarification on the application of the directive to seek guidance through the appropriate institutional channels to ensure compliance with the law.

He assured the House that the Office of the Speaker would continue to engage constructively with the Executive, the Ghana Police Service and other relevant state institutions on issues concerning security operations, parliamentary privileges and the independence of Parliament.

By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House

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