The Executive Director of EOCO, Commissioner of Police (COP) Maame Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, has disclosed that, ECOCO has generated GH¢79 million from people who have committed various crimes in the first half of the year.
The proceeds included auction of seized vehicles and under-declaration of tax.
She made this known at a maiden soiree on Wednesday in Accra to improve collaboration between EOCO and the media in combating trans-organised crimes in the country.
Themed “EOCO five-year strategic plan: Partnering the media to stay ahead of economic and organized crime”.
The five-year plan which was launched in July this year, anchored on four strategic priorities, the EOCO would partner law enforcement agencies and other relevant institutions and develop the office to be operationally resilient and sustainable to help disrupt organized criminal activities.
COP Addo-Danquah stated that last year a projection of GH¢ 40million was made for the end of the year but a target of GH¢50million was retrieved from crime proceeds.
She said EOCO’s five-year strategic plan 2023-2028 was one of the pillars to partner with the media in crime prevention.
The proceeds of crime included money retrieved from businesses and individuals who under-declared taxes to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and other wealth illegally acquired at the expense of state institutions such as the Gaming Commission and the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA).
Proceeds of crime is the term given to money or assets gained by criminals during the course of their criminal activity or illegal wealth acquisition at the expense of the state.
EOCO has a five-year strategic plan with an aim to recover and manage proceeds of crime worth GH¢350 million by June 2028.
The office is mandated to investigate crimes such as financial loss to the state, money laundering, human trafficking, prohibited cyber activity, tax fraud and other such serious offences.
Per Section three(3) of the EOCO Act, 2010 (Act 804), the office also has the power to take steps to recover the proceeds from such crimes.
The Executive Director emphasized on the need to highlight the mandates and mission of EOCO for the media to support them in their operations, adding that the media was crucial in crime prevention.
She added that, “Sometimes the media hear some of the things (crimes) in the communities first, with this partnership you can help us achieve our goals”.
She stated that, “There is nothing like a country where crime is at its barest minimum, people can sleep and close their eyes, they know that when crime is committed the law enforcement agencies will bring the perpetrators to book to face justice”.
” Some of the achievements include rescuing and uniting human trafficking victims with their families, creating awareness of activities that could make people fall into the arms of perpetrators of economic and organized crime, and working with other law enforcement agencies to combat and prevent crime”, she said.
She said her outfit played a crucial role in the country’s efforts in combating economic and organized crimes.
COP Addo-Danquah speaking on one of the pillars of the five-year strategic plan (2023-2028) of EOCO, said, was to partner the media to educate the public on operations of the office and sensitise the public to crimes they could refrain from.
She said EOCO operated an open-door policy and was ready to partner the media to fight crime in Ghana.
COP Addo-Danquah said, EOCO has also collaborated with international partners to bring criminals who committed crimes outside the country but could be traced to Ghana, to be booked and to face justice.
The President of the GJA, Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, commended the management of the office for partnering the media to achieve its five-year strategic plan objectives.
“Economic and organized crimes are complex and dynamic and the advancement in technology has made it even more complex.
To fight economic and organized crime in today’s world requires collaboration with other stakeholders such as the media,” he said.
He stated that, the media had always been a development partner and therefore welcome the strategic partnership with EOCO.
Mr. Dwumfour said the GJA had already partnered with the national security and the Police Service on a number of activities and initiatives, adding that the latest engagement with EOCO was another major step in deepening the relationship between civilians and security establishments.
He said the meeting was important as it would help the media understand the work of EOCO and subsequently inform the public on critical matters.
Mr Dwumfour urged EOCO to help train members of the GJA who were into investigative journalism to sharpen their skill, increase their knowledge and deepen the fight against crime in the country.
“The GJA is always ready and willing to support EOCO to achieve its mandate but we will also criticize where necessary as part of our accountability mandate,” he stated.
