By Dorothy Frances Ward
Kumasi, June 02 GNA – The Ghanaian media must be resourced and supported adequately to effectively play the watch-dog role of holding duty bearers accountable for their actions.
Law enforcement agencies must also be empowered to identify, trace and confiscate assets criminally acquired by public office holders.
Mr Emmanuel Kwaku Dzakpata, an official of the Legal and Prosecutions Department of Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), stated these at a sensitisation workshop on Asset Recovery, for some selected journalists and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Kumasi.
The workshop was organised by Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) with support from Inter Governmental Action Against Money Laundering in West Africa.
It was part of the ‘Building Political Will and Public Support for Asset Recovery in Ghana’ project.
It aimed at deepening public understanding and strengthening the roles of CSOs and the media in advancing Ghana’s asset recovery efforts.
This move is part of efforts to combat various forms of crimes in the country.
Among the topics treated was Ghana’s Legal and Constitutional Framework for Recovering Proceeds of crime.
The workshop highlighted the role of the media and citizens in asset recovery.
Mr. Dzakpata called for public education to promote transparency engagement by policy makers.
Mr Seth Mana Amoako, an Officer of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), mentioned cyber fraud, kidnapping, money laundering and corruption as some of the crimes the Centre was dealing with.
He said corruption was a serious economic crime, which needed concerted efforts to reduce it.
Mr Amoako said it was important for State parties to establish financial intelligence units to help fight misuse of office for unofficial ends or private gains.
The Centre would help take reasonable actions necessary for the prevention or the commission of economic crimes.
He called on all Stakeholders to walk their talk by promoting anti-corrupt practices in their various fields of endeavour.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Linda Asante Agyei