GIABA trains West African journalists to investigate financial crimes

The Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has conducted a three-day regional training program in Ghana for approximately 40 journalists. The participants represent 12 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member countries and three Alliance of Sahel States (AES) countries.

The training aims to enhance investigative reporting capabilities regarding money laundering, terrorist financing, and other economic crimes. GIABA Director-General Mam Cherno Jallow emphasized that journalists are essential to promoting transparency and accountability, though he noted concerns regarding misinformation and inadequate due diligence in some existing coverage of anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) issues.

Albert Kwadwo Twum-Boafo, Director of Ghana’s Financial Intelligence Centre and a GIABA National Correspondent, stated that combating financial crime requires collective action from state institutions, the private sector, and the media. He advised journalists to develop skills to ‘follow the money’ by examining corporate structures, beneficial ownership, and digital financial services to uncover corruption and challenge impunity.