Fellows of the sixth cohort of the Next Generation Investigative Journalism (NGIJ) Fellowship on Friday, July 25, 2025 paid an institutional visit to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) as part of the key activities under the Fellowship.
Leading the fellows on the visit, Josephine Badu-Nyarko, Programme Assistant and Coordinator of the Fellowship said that the visit was an essential part of the learning process to bring the fellows closer to transparency and accountability institutions to understand their work and collaborate to combat organised and financial crimes in Ghana.
Present at the meeting were officers of various units including Deputy Director of Operations, Benjamin Ndego and Deputy Director of General Services/ Intelligence and Monitoring, CSO Jacqueline Aba Opoku. They expressed their readiness to collaborate with journalists as well as individuals to combat illicit financial flows (IFFs).
In an interactive session with the fellows, Sedina Gbeve, Esq, a legal officer at EOCO led the presentation on the history of the Office, their mission and mandate. The Office is tasked with the responsibility of investigating and prosecuting offensive economic and organised crime as well recovering proceeds of financial crimes. These include money laundering, tax fraud, human trafficking, cybercrime, and other offenses that weaken and threaten Ghana’s financial systems and national development.
She also delved into IFFs giving a comprehensive overview of what it is, how it happens and its implication on national development.
The legal officer shared some successful operations of the Office some of which were made possible through joint operations with international law enforcement agencies. She also noted that these collaborations had led to the prosecution and extradition of individuals involved in major financial crimes across borders.
Beyond the successes, she noted that the agency is faced with significant operational challenges. However, the Office remains dedicated to its mission to monitor, prevent, investigate, prosecute, and recover proceeds of economic and organised crime.
In a state of reflection, Ibrahim Seidu Abode, a Fellow, said that, “The visit has helped me to better understand the values of EOCO and how I should also uphold the same values in my duty as a journalist. I also recognise the relevance of collaboration with EOCO and how I can effectively work with them.”
“I had the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of EOCO’s operations and their approach to tackling issues related to economic and organized crime. The discussion with the team provided valuable perspectives on their strategic initiatives and the challenges they face.
One of the key takeaways was the emphasis on collaboration between agencies, which I believe could enhance our own practices. The visit also allowed me to establish connections that may prove useful for future cooperation or information sharing,” Winifred Lartey shared.
Another Fellow, Bright Tetteh Terpkernor, said, “The visit to EOCO threw more light on certain things for me. For instance, I used to ask why the EOCO could arrest people without the police. It was through the meeting I got to know that they have the power as conferred on the police. In general, it was very insightful.”
The sixth edition of the NGIJ Fellowship is being implemented with funding support from DANIDA through Oxfam in Ghana under the project Strategic Partnership Initiative for Ghana and West Africa. The Fellowship, while honing investigative skills in the journalists, is also providing specialised training in IFFs, domestic revenue mobilisation and tax justice.