News
Speaker, Chief Justice excluded from siren privileges in new Traffic Law
Parliament of Ghana has today excluded the Office of the Speaker and the Chief from the list of high-ranking Ghanaian public officials permitted to install a siren in their official vehicles and use a motorcade.
The L.I. was previously withdrawn as a public backlash over the proposal to grant Members of Parliament (MPs) similar privileges.
This was championed by the former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu after a new road traffic Legislative Instrument (L.I.) was laid before Parliament.
Highlighting the issue, he said, “Without personalising it, it is not Alban Sumana Bagbin. It is the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament and he is not entitled to a motorcade or a police siren.? In my view Mr Speaker, it is wrong for the number three to be out of this privilege.”
According to him, “The Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana is also out of the Motor Traffic Regulation and not entitled to it. Mr Speaker, you can keep a minister and Member of Parliament but this republic has four important personalities; the president, the vice president, the speaker and the chief justice.”
On his part, the Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin expressed concern over the exclusion, stressing that it could hinder MPs in carrying out their duties to the people of Ghana.
Speaking on the floor of parliament, he said, “Politicians are always in a rush to save their heads when there is a crisis but sometimes we can have a collective fall. We know the challenges we face coming from home and going to our constituencies. It is not that a Member of Parliament, by virtue of having a siren, will use it every day.”
The Majority Leader further noted that “We belittle ourselves. You are a politician and you cannot take public bashing and go and explain to the public? Even you have MPs criticising Article 71 benefits that they have benefitted from and we hear them on radio and they continue to benefit? We have to take our democracy a little more seriously.”
Against this backdrop, the Speaker, Alban Bagbin appealed to the Parliamentarians to be assertive and defend their positions whenever necessary.
“Today, when you are talking about a major democracy and spineless Parliament, leadership matters. You must be prepared to take responsibility and defend your positions. If the people knew like you, they will not elect you to lead them, and so they expect you to lead them and be able to persuade them that you are doing so in their interest,” he said.
He concluded, “There are only two people elected on December 7 every election year and they are the president and the MP and the two of you are to lead the people to make their condition better.”
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
News
President John Dramani Mahama to kick off 2025/26 Premier League season in Accra
The 2025/26 Premier League will officially kick off on Friday, September 12, 2025, at the Accra Sports Stadium, with the President of the Republic, John Dramani Mahama, performing the ceremonial kick-off ahead of the season opener between Accra Hearts of Oak and league debutants Hohoe United.
President Mahama will be joined by Football Association President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, members of the Executive Council and football fans from across the capital as the curtain rises on what promises to be one of the most exciting campaigns in recent years.
Giants Hearts of Oak will open their quest for a league title when they take on newly promoted Hohoe United under the floodlights of the Accra Sports Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm local time (19:00 GMT).
The Phobians, bolstered by new signings and a strong pre-season campaign, are eager to end a four-year run without an opening-day victory, while United will be aiming to make a statement in their first-ever top-flight match.
Before the main fixture, there will be a curtain-raiser between the Black Starlets (Ghana U-17) and Auroras FC, the youth side of Hearts of Oak, at 4:00 pm local time.
Adding to the celebratory atmosphere, top Afro-dancehall and reggae musician Stonebwoy (Livingstone Etse Satekla) will deliver a live performance at the venue, ensuring fans enjoy not only football but also top-class entertainment on opening night.
This season is expected to be one of the most competitive in recent memory, with traditional heavyweights, ambitious newcomers and revitalized clubs all targeting glory. From title races to survival battles, fans are set for months of excitement, drama and unforgettable moments.
News
GES opens promotion applications for teaching staff
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has invited applications from qualified teachers and officers for promotion to higher ranks within the service.
In a notice signed by the Acting Deputy Director-General for Management Services, Prof. Smile Dzisi, the GES said the ranks available are Deputy Director, Assistant Director I, Assistant Director II and Principal Superintendent.
According to the statement, applicants must meet the minimum years of service required for each position.
Teachers seeking promotion to Deputy Director must have been promoted to Assistant Director I in or before 2021.
Similarly, those applying for Assistant Director I should have held the rank of Assistant Director II since 2021 or earlier.
Applicants for Assistant Director II must have been Principal Superintendents from 2021 or earlier, while those applying for Principal Superintendent must have been Senior Superintendent I since 2021 or before.
The GES stated that teachers with approved Master’s or PhD degrees may use their certificates to apply for promotion out of turn if the qualifications meet set conditions.
These include completing an approved course of study and obtaining the certificate after their previous promotion but not later than 2023.
Applicants are to complete the online application form and upload all required documents in PDF format, except for the passport-size photograph.
The application window runs from Thursday, September 11, to Thursday, October 2, 2025. The GES urged all applicants who had applied earlier to re-apply.
By: Jacob Aggrey
