Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has cautioned Members of Parliament against the unauthorised use of sirens and police escort services, urging lawmakers to comply with existing laws and administrative directives governing the use of state security resources.
The Speaker’s warning follows a recent Cabinet directive restricting the installation and use of sirens on both private and official vehicles without prior written approval from the Minister responsible for the Interior, Mohammed Muntaka-Mubarak.
Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, July 21, Bagbin reminded MPs that they have a duty to respect the regulations and avoid practices that could undermine public confidence in state institutions.
He said the directive requires that “no person shall install or use a siren on any official or private vehicle without the prior written authorisation of the Minister responsible for the Interior.”
The Speaker further explained that the use of police escort services must also receive the necessary approval from the Interior Minister or the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), acting on behalf of the Minister.
According to him, the Ghana Police Service has been instructed to enforce the directive by removing and confiscating unauthorised sirens, ending unapproved police escort arrangements, and taking legal action where necessary.
“The indiscriminate installation and use of sirens undermines road safety, weakens public confidence in lawful authority and diminishes the effectiveness of emergency and security services whose operations genuinely require priority access,” Bagbin stated.
He urged MPs who may need clarification on the application of the directive to seek guidance through the appropriate institutional channels to ensure compliance with the law.
“The use of police resources, police escort services and sirens must at all times be in accordance with the Constitution, the laws of Ghana and all administrative requirements,” he advised.
Bagbin added that his office would continue engaging with the Executive, the Ghana Police Service and other relevant state institutions to balance the privileges of Parliamentarians with the need to strengthen democratic institutions and protect the public interest.
