Photo:
Vehicle
with
siren
Advertisement
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.