Following the government’s contentious attempt to change the Road Traffic Regulations, which would have permitted state officials and Members of Parliament (MPs) to use sirens and be free from speed limits, Speaker of the House Alban Bagbin has publicly apologized.
Significant public indignation over the proposed modification led Bagbin to initially distance himself from the legislative instrument’s introduction in the parliament.
Bagbin apologized for the state of affairs in a formal speech to the chamber on Monday.
“In response to the opposition’s unwavering opposition to the L.I., the administration has chosen to rescind the planned revisions…We acknowledge that there has been a public perception of insensitivity, and I am here to apologize and reassure the people of Ghana that this parliament is still very much aware of and sensitive to their concerns,” he said.
Bagbin established new standing regulations for a pre-laying procedure in the introduction of legislative instruments in order to avoid such problems in the future. Prior to any equipment being formally presented in the house, this procedure attempts to guarantee careful examination and inspection.
“The subsidiary legislative committee has been given a crucial mandate by the legislature. The Speaker clarified that the committee’s duties included making sure that any proposed subsidiary legislation complies with the constitution, Acts of Parliament, and other laws; looking for any potential ambiguities, inconsistencies, or issues in the proposed legislation; and providing comments and suggestions to improve and refine the proposed legislation.
He emphasized the significance of this pre-laying procedure even further by requiring that anyone planning to lay a legislative instrument work with the subsidiary legislation committee in advance for an in-depth evaluation.
