By Emmanuel Gamson/ Desmond Amponsah
Takoradi, June 20, GNA – The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has organised a sensitisation workshop for media practitioners and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the Western Region to build their capacities on Ghana’s legal regime on asset recovery and management.
The event, held in Takoradi, formed part of the NGO’s “Building Political Will and Public Support for Asset Recovery in Ghana” project, being implemented with funding support from the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).
The project is aimed at deepening public understanding and strengthening the role of the media and CSOs in advancing Ghana’s asset recovery efforts in the fight against corruption.
Participants were taken through Ghana’s legal and institutional frameworks for recovering proceeds of crime, with focus on the mandates of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
Mr Samuel Harrison-Cudjoe, Programmes Officer at GACC, speaking at the event said the role of the media and CSOs were critical in strengthening citizens’ participation in fighting corruption, particularly in taking away assets acquired through corrupt transactions.
He said: “This engagement was to train the media and CSOs on the processes in which we can help to fight against corruption and promote accountability by ensuring that we do not only jail people found guilty of corruption, but also take the assets they got through such means.”
He encouraged the participants to rally the citizenry to take keen interest in how the anti-corruption institutions functioned to ensure that the laws worked to help win the fight against corruption in the country.
Mr Raphael Asamoah, an Officer at the FIC, schooled participants on the Centre’s mandates and said it played a central role in gathering and disseminating intelligence on financial irregularities to other key anti-corruption agencies for action.
He stated that assets recovery was vital in the fight against corruption and money laundering, and called on CSOs and the media to deepen public awareness in the recovery efforts.
“Stakeholder collaboration is key, and the media and CSOs are powerful partners in amplifying our work and ensuring transparency and accountability in the fight against corruption,” he added.
Mr Leo Anthony Siamah, of the Legal and Prosecution Department at EOCO, also spoke about the importance of assets recovery, and said it was crucial in combating financial crimes and deprived criminals of their ill-gotten gains.
He called on the media and CSOs to engage policymakers to advocate stronger assets recovery laws to ensure swift actions against culprits.
He said: “You as CSOs and the media should play a vital role in sensitising the public on anti-corruption, and holding duty bearers accountable, because combating organised crime and recovering stolen assets require a united front.”
Participants at the workshop took turns to pledge their commitments to work to enhance political will and public support for asset recovery efforts to help promote good governance in the country.
GNA
Edited by Justina Paaga /George-Ramsey Benamba