Accra: The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), in collaboration with the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) and the Financial Intelligence Center (FIC), has conducted a sensitisation engagement workshop for the media and civil society organisations (CSOs) focusing on asset recovery and management.
According to Ghana News Agency, the workshop was funded by the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) and is part of the GACC project titled 'Building Political Will and Public Support for Asset Recovery in Ghana.' The initiative aims to enhance public understanding and fortify the role of media and civil society in promoting Ghana's asset recovery efforts. The workshop was themed 'Ghana's Legal and Institutional Frameworks for Recovery Proceeds of Crime and Highlight the Role of Citizens and The Media in Asset Recovery.'
Mr Raphael Asamoah, a representative from the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), highlighted the centre's mission to strip the profit from crime by reclaiming properties acquired through illegal activities. He described asset recovery as a comprehensive process involving the detection, temporary freezing, and eventual confiscation and return of stolen assets to the state, emphasizing that temporary freezing does not imply guilt but ensures the preservation of assets for recovery. Mr Asamoah also stressed the importance of media and CSOs in holding state agencies accountable and educating the public on corruption issues.
Madam Bridgett Nadia Barnor from EOCO stated that the workshop also aimed to inform participants about EOCO's asset recovery and management mandate. She emphasized the necessity of collaborating with media and CSOs to inform and engage the public on EOCO's mandates and the impacts of crime on society. She noted that while EOCO has the authority from the Attorney General to prosecute cases, successful prosecution is not always guaranteed. The workshop served to reinforce the crucial role of media and CSOs in reporting and cooperating with EOCO and other stakeholders on crime and asset recovery issues.
Madam Barnor called on media and CSOs to amplify their efforts in educating the public about the mandates of EOCO, FIC, and related agencies, underlining the importance of these collaborations in addressing corruption and asset recovery effectively.
