Security expert Richard Komadoe has reacted strongly to the renaming of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), urging a reversal to protect officers and restore its effectiveness.
Speaking on Ahotor FM with host Ansah Srasraku, Komadoe criticized the name change and amendments to Act 526 as poorly thought-out and “flimsy.” He noted that for 5 to 7 years, many have called for reverting to BNI, arguing it would benefit the agency. “We already have a bank called NIB,” he said. “This puts security officers’ lives in danger, people see them and think they’re bank staff looking for deposits or credit. That’s not right.”
Komadoe also slammed the requirement for a Minister of National Security in the act, calling it nonsensical. He argued that the NDC doesn’t truly believe in such a role, as it risks injecting political noise into high-level decisions without the necessary expertise. Reverting to BNI would simplify operations and keep politics out.
He emphasized that intelligence and investigations are intertwined: “You can’t do intelligence without investigation, one key outcome of every probe is intelligence gathering.” He accused the NPP of wanting BNI to avoid investigations so fraud and crimes go unprosecuted, limiting it to mere intel collection.
Komadoe described BNI as a “solid national brand” that achieved much before former President Nana Akufo-Addo oversaw its “destruction” through these changes. Now, efforts to reverse them are underway, but the damage has been immense.
Story by: Mercy Addai Turkson#ahotorfmonline.com