A photo of some cars with a siren
Spokesperson for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Dr. Gideon Boako, has agreed with the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey to stop the abuse of sirens.
The Minister has issued a warning to political elites and other persons who abuse sirens and strobe lights in the country.
He accentuated that, after July, persons who do not fall within the qualified category will not be spared when they violate the law.
Per regulation 74 of the Road Traffic Regulations of 2012 (L.I. 2180), the law lists the categories of entities permitted to install and use sirens as comprising a government vehicle used for official purposes by the Head of State, a Police vehicle, a motor vehicle used by the Fire Service and a motor vehicle used as an ambulance by a hospital or clinic.
Others are a motor vehicle used by other recognized government security agencies and a bullion vehicle registered by the Licensing Authority.
The Minister, speaking in an interview on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo' said, "we're giving notice, up to the end of July, everybody in Accra who uses siren; it is in their own interest to remove it . . . after July, we will enforce the laws".
After July, persons who want to use sirens, according to the Minister, must "apply to the Minister of Interior to use the sirens then it will go to the national security and then an accredited company will be chosen to fix the siren. So if you use the siren without that approval letter or statement, you will be dealt with".
Also addressing the issue, Dr. Gideon Boako supported the Minister's call stressing, "if you don't qualify to use a siren, I don't see why you should use it".
"Sometimes, it's annoying, a couple of the times, I block a lot of the people using a siren because people are abusing it most of the time. There shouldn't be a distinction that this is a government person or not," he further emphasized.