Tensions flared in Parliament after government tabled a new Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill seeking sweeping changes to Ghana’s national security structure — including renaming the National Investigations Bureau.
The proposed law, laid before the House on Thursday, February 19, by Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, aims to revert the agency’s name to the Bureau of National Intelligence.
According to the Minister, the move is intended to end public confusion between the security agency and the National Investment Bank, which shares the same NIB acronym.
Explaining the rationale behind the reform, Mr Mohammed-Mubarak said restoring the BNI name would bring clarity and improve institutional coordination.
But the bill goes beyond a name change.
It also proposes scrapping the Ministry for National Security entirely, with oversight responsibilities to be exercised directly through the Presidency. Government argues that the restructuring will eliminate potential friction between a National Security Minister and a National Security Coordinator, ensuring smoother command and control.
The proposal, however, immediately triggered sharp resistance from the Minority.
Former Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul described the reforms as risky, warning that concentrating excessive authority in a single office without strong accountability measures could endanger democratic governance.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin also rejected the bill, insisting that the memorandum fails to provide concrete evidence that the current legal framework is broken.
He cautioned that granting expanded powers to the National Security Coordinator without clearly defined checks and balances could open the door to abuse under the guise of national security.
The Minority is now demanding broader stakeholder consultations and revisions to address what they describe as serious constitutional and governance concerns before the bill proceeds further.
Source: Wesleyannews.com
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