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Ghana Recovers $79M, GH¢200M in Stolen Assets: GACC, GIABA Rally Citizens for Transparency
More than $79 million and GH¢200 million in stolen public funds have been recovered by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) between 2023 and 2024 — a major revelation made during a high-level sensitisation workshop hosted by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) in Accra.
The event, supported by the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), focused on “Building Political Will and Public Support for Asset Recovery in Ghana” and brought together anti-corruption experts, civil society actors, journalists, and officials from key state institutions.
Executive Secretary of GACC, Beauty Emefa Narteh, said the workshop aimed to deepen public understanding of asset recovery laws and processes while empowering the media and CSOs to drive accountability and transparency.
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“Ghanaians must understand how asset recovery works and support it. The media is crucial in ensuring citizens receive accurate, credible information,” she stated.
EOCO’s Head of Legal and Prosecution, Leo Anthony Siamah (Esq.), detailed the agency’s recent asset recovery achievements. These include over \$79 million and GH¢200 million recovered, the seizure of more than 60 vehicles, and confiscated land and property from convicted persons and suspects.
He explained that some recovered items, like computers, were redirected to public institutions to support operations.
However, Mr Siamah acknowledged ongoing challenges such as delayed international cooperation, lengthy litigation, and inadequate legal authority at the district level. He called for reforms to decentralise asset-freezing powers and enable quicker action.
Speaking at the event, Albert Akurugu, Esq., Director of Asset Recovery and Management at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), reiterated the OSP’s legal authority to seize unexplained wealth, trace stolen assets, and preserve their value.
“If assets are found and not declared, we have the power to confiscate them automatically,” he said. He also highlighted improvements in auction practices that led to a 347% increase in revenue after correcting undervaluations at the Customs Division.
Mr. Akurugu urged the media to responsibly support the national fight against corruption, saying:
“Media should shine light, not distort truth. Misinformation can derail investigations.”
He also called for legal reforms to permit the recovery of stolen assets from the estates of deceased public officials who enriched themselves through corrupt means.
Participants were taken through Ghana’s legal frameworks for asset recovery and the mandates of key institutions like the Financial Intelligence Centre.
The GACC announced plans to hold similar workshops nationwide to strengthen grassroots engagement.
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