BNI must rethink method of operation

Page 38: Daily Graphic, August 24, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A SECURITY analyst, Mr Emmanuel Sowatey says the recent judicial rulings against the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) should help the institution rethink its operations in line with Ghana’s international reputation as a state with serious prospects for democratic consolidation, rule of law and development.
He said the era where the institution was regarded as being above the law and a source of terror and insecurity, which was one of the hallmarks of undemocratic practices, was being challenged.
Speaking in an interview at the weekend, Mr Sowatey expressed the hope that the rulings would help the BNI get rid of some of its old identitity which was often characterized with fear, terror and insecurity
According to him, the security of the people was being strengthened by those rulings.
Mr Sowatey expressed the hope that the rulings would also provide some form of protection for professionals within the BNI.
He explained that such professionals would have the bases to reject certain directives that did not conform to best practices that govern the security and intelligence community in any good democratic dispensation.
He urged the legislature and in particular the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior (PSCDI) to discuss those rulings as part of its broader oversight role over the security and intelligence community.
“They and all Ghanaians need to scrutinize The Security and Intelligence Agencies Act 526 of 1999 as we deepen and consolidate our democracy which is a key source of security,” he advised.
“That Security Sector Reform is very critical to democratic consolidation, rule of law and development is well known. The problem has been the different approaches to these reforms across most part of Africa. These rulings bespeaks the need for the ongoing reform within the security sector which will help place our intelligence and security institutions at par with the Electoral Commission which has international credentials,” he added.
Mr Sowatey noted further that the rulings showed the emerging identity of the judiciary as an institution that could provide some kind of security for people even against the ‘almighty’ incumbent government.
“Hopefully these ruing will not be regarded as those of unfriendly judges but rather as part of a broader effort/endeavor of some judges to help the judiciary regain its reputation as a trusted one and a source of security,” he said.
He made it clear that a trusted judiciary was a source of security and while a mistrusted judiciary was a major source of insecurity, particularly to the ordinary people and political opponents of incumbent government.
Notwithstanding the rulings, Mr Sowatey said, his main concern was how to put the security and intelligence community in top shape in the face of the oil finds.
He said some multinational companies would attempt to manipulate and influence every aspect of governance for their advantage since with their huge resources and network, the bad multinational easily manipulate developing countries.
“This is a major security issue and we all need to support the BNI and other intelligence and security institutions to be at their best from now. They need to think ahead of the multinationals,” he said.
The Accra Fast Track High Court in two separate rulings ordered the BNI to hand over the passports of former Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Information, Messrs Akwasi Osei-Adjei and Stephen Asamoah-Boateng respectively.