Media Urged to Support Ghana’s Asset Recovery Efforts

  


The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has called on the media to take a leading role in promoting transparency, accountability, and public education around asset recovery as Ghana intensifies its fight against corruption and money laundering.

This was the central theme at a sensitisation workshop organised by GACC with funding support from the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), under the project “Building Political Will and Public Support for Asset Recovery in Ghana.” The workshop focused on deepening understanding of Ghana’s asset recovery regime while strengthening the watchdog functions of both civil society and the media.

Participants were taken through Ghana’s legal and institutional frameworks guiding the recovery of illicit assets, including key legislation such as the Economic and Organized Crime Office Act, the Anti-Money Laundering Act, and the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act.

In her remarks, a representative of GACC stressed that while Ghana has made commendable progress, with over 42 money laundering convictions linked to fraud, forgery, and drug trafficking, sustained media coverage and investigative journalism remain crucial to uncovering hidden assets and deterring future crimes.

The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) revealed that, as of June 2024, assets including GHC 5,095,869.78, over US$11 million, and other foreign currencies had been frozen pending prosecutions—an indication of growing success, but also a call for broader public engagement.

Referencing Article 13 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), facilitators highlighted the media’s obligation to empower the public through awareness, track illicit financial flows, and hold institutions to account.

Speakers from the Financial Intelligence Centre, the Office of the Special Prosecutor, and the Narcotics Control Commission emphasized the power of collaborative journalism and advocacy in ensuring that stolen wealth is not only recovered but also transparently managed.

“Asset recovery is not just a legal exercise, it is a civic responsibility. The media must act not only as informers but as drivers of change,” a facilitator noted.

As Ghana continues to build momentum in its asset recovery efforts, the partnership between the press, civil society, and state institutions is increasingly seen as a critical weapon in the anti-corruption arsenal.

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