The government has initiated steps to rename the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) as the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI), citing persistent public confusion between the security agency and a prominent financial institution.
The proposed change is contained in the new Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025, which was debated on the floor of Parliament on Thursday. Interior Minister Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka explained to the House that the current acronym, NIB, is too easily conflated with the National Investment Bank.
“Everywhere in the world, you make sure that the acronyms for the security agencies do not match any other thing,” Mr. Muntaka argued. “Unfortunately, we have a situation where, when you say NIB, people are wondering whether you’re talking about the bank or you’re talking about the security agency.”
He clarified that while the agency is reverting to a well-known former name, its mandate remains one of intelligence gathering. “So, Mister Speaker, one of the significant things that we are trying to do is to reintroduce the name BNI at this time. Even though the BNI of yesterday was Bureau of National Investigation, this BNI will still remain Bureau of National Intelligence.”
Reforms to Security Architecture
The name change is just one component of broader institutional reforms outlined in the Bill. The legislation also proposes abolishing the dedicated portfolio of Minister for National Security.
Under the new framework, the President would be empowered to designate any minister to oversee the National Security Coordinator, rather than maintaining a standalone ministry. Mr. Muntaka explained that this is intended to prevent operational friction and a duplication of roles between a minister and the coordinator.
“If you are not careful, they begin to conflate, and they begin to have misunderstandings, and that affects the security architecture,” the Minister said. The aim, he noted, is to keep the function closer to the presidency to avoid conflict.
Minority Raises Concerns Over Power Balance
However, the Bill has faced strong opposition from the Minority in Parliament. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin cautioned that the proposal risks concentrating excessive power in the hands of the National Security Coordinator without adequate oversight.
He questioned the necessity of the reforms, arguing that the government has failed to provide evidence that the existing legal framework is flawed.
“The memorandum before us does not provide any empirical evidence to suggest that ACT 1030 has failed,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin stated. “It appears that this bill is more founded on partisan political interest than a national security interest for good governance.”
He raised concerns about the lack of clear accountability measures for the powerful coordinator role. “When the rights of citizens are being abused, the man will come and tell you that in the name of national security,” he warned, calling for further parliamentary scrutiny to “winnow” the bill and address the concerns raised.
The intense debate signals that the Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill is set to face a tough passage through Parliament, with key questions centering on the balance of power, accountability, and oversight within Ghana’s security framework.
