Siren Brouhaha: Whose job is not productive? - Nana Akomea 'punches' Andy Appiah-Kubi

STC Chief Executive Nana Akomea has punched holes in the defense mounted by the Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North, Andy Appiah-Kubi, for the proposed amendment to the Road Traffic Regulations that would allow MPs to use sirens and exempt them from speed limits while carrying out official duties.

The MPs' demand has been met with fierce public backlash, but Hon. Andy Appiah-Kubi has sought to justify why they want to use sirens.

To the MP, those opposing their proposal are motivated by hatred and jealousy.

Rationale Behind MPs' Demand For Sirens

“We have witnessed situations where some members of parliament and even state ministers and some judges have been arrested on the road because they are trying to meet their work schedule. And you go to the police, you go to the Attorney-General, you go to the IGP, he says, I implement the law as given and that I cannot help the situation because the law says that.

“So the remedy is to amend the law to make it lawful for people like that to be able to have special access where necessary.

“And indeed, when you are driving on the road in the early hours of the day or late hours of the day, you don’t need any siren or any special access. It is when there is congestion on the road and there is also the need for you to meet deadlines by way of time, that need will arise.

“And when it does arise, it is to do your assigned duty for Mother Ghana. So I don’t see why we have to impugn hatred, impugn jealousy, impugn mistrust into the provision. It is omnibus and it covers a lot of institutions, so attempts to single out one particular institution for rebuke is not fair,” Hon. Appiah-Kubi told journalists.

Nana Akomea's Reply

But to Nana Akomea, Hon. Andy Appiah-Kubi's comments are infuriating.

Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" discussion programme, Nana Akomea argued that societal factors could be influencing the MPs' call for amendments because sometimes the pressure from society demands that they live a certain kind of higher life.

However, to him, the reasons outlined by Andy Appiah-Kubi are not justifiable enough to merit fitting sirens in the vehicles of MPs, Ministers, and Supreme Court Justices.

"If you say that it will enhance the productivity of MPs, this approach may anger people because whose job is not productive?" he questioned, stressing, "it is not only MPs' jobs that are productive."