Director of the Institute for Intelligence and Strategic Security, Mr. Moses Jatuat has called for the immediate reversal of the nomenclature of the erstwhile Bureau of National Investigation. His calls come on the back of newspaper publication about alleged compromise of security information through mistaken delivery of official documents meant for the intelligence agency to National Investment Bank (NIB) which shares the same acronym as the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB). According to a report by Day Break newspaper, documents meant for the National Intelligence Bureau which is Ghana’s internal intelligence agency are wrongly sent to the National Investment Bank since the public is yet to come to terms with the name change of the Intelligence Agency which came into being as result of enactment of the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2020 (Act 1030). The new Act changed the name of the agency from Bureau of National Investigation to National Intelligence Bureau. This Mr. Jatuat observes, raises serious concerns about security of sensitive information and intelligence bothering on national security, and called for immediate steps to restore the old nomenclature (BNI). Explaining further, the Intelligence specialist indicated the current law (Act 1030) only sort to change the word ‘Investigation’ to ‘Intelligence’ and questions the rationale for changing the entire nomenclature from BNI to NIB when there has not been substantial change to the name of the Bureau. While describing the move as needless, Mr. Jatuat rather charged the National Security Council and Ministry of National Security to invest adequately in improving the intelligence capability of the Bureau by equipping it with modern communication and intelligence gathering logistics and required human resource to effectively carry out its mandate of providing the needed intelligence to counter threats to national security of the Republic. Source: IISS Communication Bureau (www.iissgh.org)
Defence Minister leads delegation to Yaa-Naa over war mongering comments on social media – iissgh.com
Minister for Defence Dominic Nitiwul, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bimbilla Constituency, has led a government delegation including some MPs from the Northern Region to the Gbewaa palace in Yendi following some social media comments of a possible Konkomba, Dagomba and Nanumba conflict. Speaking at the Gbewaa palace, the Minister described the information as malicious and treacherous. He revealed that government through the National Security Ministry and other security operatives are tracking down the perpetrators of such information. “We are tracking those people peddling such war mongering information to raise tension and I assure you we will deal with them.” He added, “Konkombas, Dagombas and Nanumbas are brothers and have lived peacefully over the years and so any attempt to distract the peace among these people will be fiercely resisted.” Mr. Nitiwul warned that “henceforth, anybody or group of person’s whose publications, discussions or commentary on the subject matter will seek to influence a possible conflict will be severely dealt with”. He charged all metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) in the Region to sensitize their people on the need to live peacefully. Member of Parliament for Yendi Constituency Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama applauded the swift intervention by government and called on the youth to desist from acts of war mongering. He indicated that the 1994 Konkomba, Dagomba and Nanumba conflict claimed more lives and any reccurrence will be detrimental to the peace and development of the Region. The Yaa-Naa, Abukari Mahama II, on his part, applauded government for the intervention. He is hopeful government will trace the perpetrators and make them face the full rigours of the law. Source: a1radioonline.com
