Hassan Tampuli, the Deputy Minister of Transport, has made it clear that the planned Legislative Instrument (L.I.) revision, which would have permitted judges, ministers and members of parliament to drive without a speed restriction and utilise sirens, was not related to the Transport Ministry. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, the chairperson of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee and a member of the Minority Group, is credited with pushing for the amendment, according to Tampuli.
According to Tampuli, the Transport Minister disapproved of the change because he saw possible mayhem if all 275 MPs were allowed to use sirens. The Minister refuted the idea that such an event would bring about complete turmoil in society. You can picture all 275 MPs driving about with their sirens honking nonstop. The Minister disagreed at that meeting, and the records will demonstrate that, Tampuli added. There will be some disorder.
Tampuli related how Ayine had stopped him in Parliament when he was trying to lay the instrument. Before the proposed amendment could be laid, the Speaker gave Ayine instructions to confirm it.
Tuesday afternoon, the L.I. was removed due to public outcry. Tampuli maintains that the Subsidiary Legislation Committee, led by Ayine, is accountable for the controversial plan.
Tampuli emphasised that the original amendment pre-laid before the Committee in February 2024 did not include the contentious siren and speed limit exemptions, even though the Ministry sought to amend portions of the Road Traffic Regulations 2012, primarily to address contemporary issues like electric cars. “Members of the Dominic Akuritinga Ayine-led Subsidiary Legislation Committee insisted on broadening the scope of this specific clause during the clause review,” he emphasised.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, which Puretvonline.com was able to monitor, Tampuli said that the Transport Ministry was happy to have the L.I. withdrawn because it had not initially supported the contentious revisions.