GIABA Trains Journalists in Ghana on Financial Crime Reporting

The Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) organized a three-day training for West African journalists in Ghana, focusing on financial crimes. GIABA Director-General Mam Cherno Jallow, represented by Timothy Melaye, stressed the critical role of journalists in promoting transparency and accountability.

The training aimed to enhance journalists' understanding of economic and financial crimes, improve reporting on anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-financing of terrorism (CFT) issues, and foster cooperation between GIABA and the media. Jallow expressed concerns over poor reporting and misinformation in AML/CFT coverage.

Albert Kwadwo, Director of Ghana’s Financial Intelligence Centre, highlighted the complexity of financial crimes and the need for journalists to develop skills in examining corporate structures and financial records. He emphasized the importance of accuracy and professionalism in reporting.

The training also featured discussions on GIABA’s role, Mutual Evaluation Reports, and the use of solution journalism in financial crime reporting, led by Dr. Bisi Olawuyi from the University of Ibadan.