Parliament Speaker Alban S. K. Bagbin has urged Members of Parliament to comply with legal requirements governing the use of police escort services and the installation and use of sirens on vehicles.
Addressing Parliament in a formal communication on Tuesday, the Speaker disclosed that his office had received a communication from the Minister for the Interior concerning the responsible use of state security resources and compliance with the law.
The communication, he said, had been brought to the attention of MPs and the Parliamentary Service following a directive from Cabinet on the use of police resources, particularly police escort services and sirens.
Also read: Parliament pays tribute to Yaa Naa Abukari Mahama II, hails legacy of peace and reconciliation
According to Speaker Bagbin, no person is permitted to install or use a siren on an official or private vehicle without the prior written authorisation of the Minister responsible for the Interior.
No person, he said, should utilise police resources, particularly police escort services, without the requisite written authorisation from the Minister for the Interior or the Inspector-General of Police acting on behalf of the Minister. The Speaker indicated that the Ghana Police Service had been directed to enforce the directive.
The enforcement measures, he said, include the removal and seizure of unauthorised sirens, the discontinuation of unauthorised police escort services and the institution of appropriate legal action where necessary.
He urged MPs to take note of the directive and ensure that their use of police resources, police escorts and sirens complies with the 1992 Constitution, the laws of Ghana and all lawful administrative requirements.
“I encourage all members to take note of the contents of the narrative and to ensure that in the use of police resources, police escort services and sirens, members at all times act in accordance with the Constitution, the laws of Ghana and all lawful administrative requirements,” Speaker Bagbin said.
The Speaker stressed that the efficient, accountable and lawful use of public resources is a matter of legitimate national interest.
He noted that the Ghana Police Service performs critical constitutional functions, including maintaining law and order, protecting life and property, and preserving public safety.
According to him, police personnel and resources are national assets that must be deployed judiciously, equitably and strictly in accordance with the law.
Mr. Bagbin also cautioned against the indiscriminate installation and use of sirens, warning that such practices could undermine road safety, weaken public confidence in lawful authority and diminish the effectiveness of emergency and security services.
He said emergency and security operations often require priority access, making the responsible use of sirens particularly important.
The Speaker reminded MPs that Parliament has consistently advocated transparency and prudent management of public resources.
He said lawmakers, as representatives of the people, have an even greater responsibility to demonstrate fidelity to the laws they enact and uphold the highest standards of public conduct.
Speaker Bagbin therefore encouraged MPs who require clarification on the directive’s application in specific circumstances to seek guidance through established institutional channels.
He said the move would help ensure compliance with the law while avoiding misunderstandings regarding the use of police escorts and sirens.
The Speaker assured Parliament that his office would continue to engage constructively with the Executive, the Ghana Police Service, and other relevant institutions on matters relating to security operations and MPs’ privileges.
He said such engagements would also seek to protect the independence of Parliament while strengthening Ghana’s democratic institutions and advancing the public interest.