Misuse of sirens, crest number plates; Let’s stop these excesses

The 1992 Constitution guarantees the institution of chieftaincy in the country.

It describes a chief in Article 277 as “a person, who, hailing from the appropriate family and lineage, has been validly nominated, elected or selected and enstooled, enskinned or installed as a chief or queenmother in accordance with the relevant customary law and usage.”

Their responsibilities in the Constitution include advising on chieftaincy matters, undertaking the progressive study, interpretation and codification of customary law in the country to evolve a unified system of rules of customary law; compiling customary laws and lines of succession applicable to each stool or skin; and undertaking an evaluation of traditional customs and usages to eliminate those customs and usages that are outmoded and socially harmful.

The institution of chieftaincy is priced and highly competitive in Ghana.

The prestige of the institution has in the past resulted in those in the space being courted by politicians.

Thus, in campaigns, announcements or justifications of major political policy decisions and governance issues, the cooperation of chiefs are sought.

A CDD/Afrobarometer report released recently: "African citizens message to traditional authorities: Stay in development, stay out of politics," shows that Ghanaians, particularly those in the rural areas, are highly trusting of chiefs.

Ghanaians also believe that those in the institution are change-makers who can contribute enormously to development.

The stature of chiefs in the eyes of Ghanaians results in politicians courting their friendships and relationships.

Those politicians believe that chiefs can help them get the collaboration and cooperation of voters in accepting their policies or voting for them during elections.

As politicians court them, they are invited to all public programmes, and to make it on time, they are facilitated by their politician friends to install sirens on their vehicles.

In recent times, the trend has also been for the vehicles of chiefs, instead of bearing the approved Drivers and Vehicles Licensing Authority number plates, to have the traditional crest of the chieftaincy on the vehicle.

That prompted the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mubarak, to issue an ultimatum that by the end of this month, chiefs must ensure that their vehicles bear proper number plates.

The Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683), Section 38, on the Registration of Motor Vehicles and Trailers states that: 1) A person shall not own or drive a motor vehicle or a motor trailer unless the motor vehicle or the trailer is registered under this Act. (2) A person seeking registration of a motor vehicle or a trailer shall apply in the prescribed form to the Licensing Authority.

(3) Where the Licensing Authority is satisfied that the applicant has complied with all the requirements prescribed by Regulations made under this Act, the Licensing Authority may issue to the applicant a Vehicle Registration Certificate in respect of the motor vehicle or trailer.

Section 43 of the Act on Not Fixing Registration Number, states: “The owner of a motor vehicle or trailer being used or kept on a road commits an offence where the registration number is not fixed as required by Regulations made under this Act and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding 500 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years or to both.”

These rules have been flouted by chiefs who bear crests as licensing plates on their vehicles.

On sirens, the Road Traffic Regulations permitted the use of sirens by high-profile government officials.

Last year, an intended expansion of the category of people able to use sirens to include judges of the Superior Courts and Members of Parliament, was aborted.

Traditional and political heads must learn to obey the laws of Ghana.

Most often, affiliations with political authorities make others break laws with impunity.

Our political heads must learn to act right for the sake of the future of the country.

It is good that the matter is now being dealt with, and it is hoped that by the end of this month, chiefs will stop using crests as number plates and also set off early to programmes they must attend to avoid using sirens.