Sirens Ban Practicalities…
Dust is yet to settle on reports that the official Seat of Government, the Jubilee House, has once again announced a ban on the unauthorized use of sirens and bells by Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, and Chief Executives of government organizations.
The Thunder wonders why the new announcement because there is such a directive as announced by Government in December 2017 and as far as the paper is concerned, that directive has not been repealed.
Why then this new directive that is no different from the existing one.
One thing it means is that the 2017 directive that was titled “ Abuse of the use of sirens by ministers and other government officials,” is not being complied with.
We cannot continue to do the same things and expect different results.
The reasons for which the 2017 directive is not being respected are still relevant today and would be the same reason the 2021 directive would most likely, also not be taken serious.
The recent directive from Jubilee house was clear-cut that the category of persons banned from using sirens are Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Regional Ministers and Deputy Regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), CEOs of Government Agencies and officials of the Presidency unless otherwise designated.
Officials of the Jubilee House would not be on the roads and highways to monitor the implementation of this directive.
It is the same Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service that would be relied on to make sure that Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, and Chief Executives of government organizations do not drive in town blaring sirens and bells.
It is the same MTTD that since 2017, has not been able to enforce the existing directive.
The MTTD, an agency under the Ghana Police Service that is responsible for road safety in Ghana has its own set of challenges and logistical constraints.
So for instance, if a Regional Minister (chairman of the Regional Security Council) decides to flout the directive and drives in town blasting his vehicle’s siren, he is expected to be stopped and arrested by a Police Constable under the MTTD of the Ghana Police Service. Interesting….
Or if a Member of Parliament is on the way to Parliament and has the vehicle siren on, how practical can it be for a police officer to stop this MP and get him arrested while on his way to Parliament?
The directive says the officials of the Presidency unless otherwise designated are also banned from the use of the said sirens but it does not tell how the MTTD officials can know which government official is “otherwise designated” or not.
Anyway….
