The Civil Society (CSO) Network on Road Safety has called on Parliament and the Ministry of Transport to relay the Road Traffic (Amendment) Regulation 2024 that was withdrawn by government in response to public uproar on the provision exempting Members of Parliament and Ministers of State from observing regulations on use of Sirens and Speed Limits.
We applaud the government’s recent decision to withdraw the Road Traffic (Amendment) Regulation 2024 due to public concerns and the potential abuse and public safety related consequences, said a statement issued in Accra and signed by the Convener, Appiah Kusi Adomako Esq
We recognize the importance of ensuring that legislations related to public safety must be inclusive, fair, and transparent; and hereby commend the Minister for Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, for listening to the concerns of the public and swiftly withdrawing the Legislative Instrument.
The CSO Network on Road Safety, however, recognises the fact that the Road Traffic (Amendment) Regulation 2024 was seeking to update the road traffic regulations to reflect changes in the road transport environment by addressing emerging challenges that include driver licensing and vehicle registration procedures by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA); introduction of technology to automate enforcement of road traffic laws and regulations by the Ghana Police Service; and new regulations for the removal of disabled vehicles, among others. We consider these as very critical components of the Amendment designed to hold down the rising trends in road traffic crashes and casualties in the country.
We are of the firm conviction that the Ministry of Transport must take urgent steps to remove the controversial portion of the bill and have it re-laid in Parliament without delay.
We also urge the Ministry to take advantage of the re-laying process to address the inconsistencies between Section 14 (1) of Road Traffic Act 2004 (Act 683) and Regulation 119 (5) of Road Traffic Regulation, 2012 (LI 2180). Whereas, the parent Act (Act 683) expressly restricts children under five years from sitting in the front seat of a vehicle, the LI 2180 allows for it if a restraining or safety device has been provided for the child.
The Network expressed concern that Parliament is running out of time to pass the Legislative Instrument (LI) due to ongoing delays. With MPs soon taking a break to campaign for the upcoming elections, and the LI requiring 21 Parliamentary sitting days to mature, there is a risk it would not be finalized before January 6th, 2025.
If this happens, the entire process will need to restart when the new Parliament convenes, losing valuable time and momentum. What is needed now is simple, i.e., just expunging the controversial regulations on siren exemptions, and re-laying the Road Traffic (Amendment) Regulation 2024.
The Network therefore called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo; the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin; and all parties involved including the Ministry of Transport, National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the Ghana Police Service, the Attorney General, and particularly, the Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislative Committee of Parliament, Dr. Dominic Ayini (who took full responsibility for the inclusion of the controversial provisions in the amended LI), to prioritize the swift re-laying of the document. If parliamentary procedures allow, the re-laying can be done under Parliament’s certificate of urgency to ensure public safety and avoid the costly and time-consuming process of restarting the entire procedure next year.
The Network strongly believes that amending the LI will be a significant achievement of government and firm up Ghana’s commitment towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3.6, which aims at halving the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic crashes by 2030.
Members of the Civil Society Network include CUTS International Accra, LADA Institute, Legal Resources Centre (LRC), Transaid, Amend, and Street Sense.
