Story: News Desk
Parliament has passed the Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025, restoring the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) as the official name of the agency previously known as the National Investigations Bureau (NIB).
The Bill, approved on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, introduces significant changes to Ghana’s national security framework.
Explaining the rationale earlier on February 19, 2026, the Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, said the renaming was intended to address confusion associated with the NIB acronym, which is often mistaken for the National Investment Bank.
However, the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, opposed the legislation, cautioning that it could concentrate excessive power within the national security apparatus and potentially lead to abuses of citizens’ rights.
He described the matter as one of significant political concern.
According to the Minority Leader, “A reference to the Bureau of National Investigations, the National Intelligence Bureau or the internal intelligence agency in any enactment or document existing before the coming into force of this Act shall be construed as a reference to the Bureau of National Intelligence. A reference to the external intelligence agency in any enactment or document existing before the coming into force of this Act shall be construed as a reference to the Research Department.”
Additionally, the legislation empowers the President to designate a minister to oversee the National Security Coordinator, effectively abolishing the substantive position of a Minister for National Security.
The Bill establishes a comprehensive legal framework for the operations of the National Security Council and formally recognises Regional and District Security Councils to strengthen coordination at sub-national levels.
It also outlines the roles of key state agencies responsible for implementing government security policies, covering both internal and external threats.
A key feature of the law is the establishment of the Office of the National Security Coordinator as an integral part of the security and intelligence structure, aimed at improving coordination and enhancing the effectiveness of Ghana’s security system.
The legislation further seeks to repeal the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2020 (Act 1030) in line with the government’s policy direction on national security reforms.
