Mahama Charges BNI to Protect Dignity of Interrogation Subjects as He Commissions Forensic Lab, 111 Vehicles

President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) to uphold the dignity and fundamental rights of persons brought in for questioning, insisting that the conduct of interrogations must reflect the nation's commitment to human rights even as security operations are strengthened.

Speaking at the commissioning of a renovated interrogation centre, a new forensic laboratory, and the presentation of 111 operational vehicles to the BNI at its regional headquarters in Accra on Thursday, President Mahama said the upgraded facilities were designed to ensure that anyone who passes through the Bureau's doors is treated with respect .

"I pray that Ghanaians do not have to come to these interrogation rooms," the President said. "But when they do, their dignity must be protected" .

Facilities Upgraded for Accountability

The renovated interrogation rooms have been fitted with soundproofing and digital recording equipment, upgrades the President said would improve both the conduct and the documentation of questioning sessions . The new forensic laboratory, meanwhile, is intended to strengthen the Bureau's capacity to investigate cybercrime, hacking, online scams, and other sophisticated digital offences that have become increasingly prevalent .

"The face of crime is changing. Crime used to be analogue before. But as technology develops, crime too has become digital," President Mahama said, adding that security agencies must stay "two steps ahead" of criminals .

111 Vehicles to Address Operational Gaps

The fleet presented to the Bureau comprises 100 brand-new Mitsubishi pickup trucks, six Toyota Land Cruiser LX station wagons, and five Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vehicles . President Mahama noted that a lack of vehicles had long hampered the Bureau's efficiency, with officers sometimes forced to use "very tattered and old" vehicles for intelligence gathering missions to distant locations such as Bawku .

He cautioned drivers and the transport section against careless handling of the vehicles, urging proper maintenance so the fleet could remain serviceable for eight to ten years. Government will procure additional vehicles for security agencies in 2027, with the BNI expected to benefit from the next allocation .

Background: A Bureau in Transition

The commissioning comes amid a broader restructuring of Ghana's intelligence architecture. In March 2026, Parliament passed the Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025, which restored the agency's name from the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) to the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) — a change the government said was necessary to resolve persistent confusion with the National Investment Bank . The legislation also abolished the standalone Ministry of National Security, placing the National Security Coordinator under a minister designated by the President .

The reforms have drawn criticism from the Minority in Parliament, with Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin warning that the changes concentrate excessive authority within the executive and could weaken parliamentary oversight of the security apparatus .

Broader Security Investments

The BNI event is part of a wider push by the Mahama administration to modernise Ghana's security infrastructure. The President disclosed that eight additional regional offices of the Bureau are under construction and expected to be completed next year, bringing the number of modern regional facilities to at least nine . He also commended the BNI Director-General, Charles Alhassan Kipo, for the Bureau's modernisation drive, saying the government takes the agency's work "very seriously" .

Among those present at the ceremony were Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak and National Security Coordinator Commissioner of Police (COP) Osman Abdul-Razak .

For a Bureau whose interrogations have historically operated largely outside public view, the new recording equipment and the President's public charge on dignity represent a notable shift toward accountability — at least on paper. Whether the practice matches the pledge will be tested in the months ahead.