Fighting organised crime requires concerted effort of all – Panellists on Joy SMS - MyJoyOnline

The Deputy Head of Legal and Prosecution at the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Leo Anthony Siamah, has emphasised the need for a collaborative effort among all stakeholders to combat serious and organised crimes.

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While contributing to a Joy FM discussion on safeguarding Ghana's stability against serious and organised crime threats in the upcoming 2024 elections and beyond, Siamah stressed that addressing these issues requires more than just investigations and prosecutions and highlighted the importance of creating awareness among the public about the challenges and the need for collective action.

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"These are not foreign concepts," Siamah stated, debunking the misconception that organised crime is limited to certain regions.

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He pointed out that Ghana's label as a transit point for drug trafficking indicates the presence of organised criminal groups within the country.

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The Executive Director of Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Mrs Mary Awelana Addah, emphasised the urgent need for action against corruption in safeguarding Ghana's stability against serious and organised crime threats in the upcoming 2024 elections and beyond.

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Asante who highlighted various activities that may be classified as serious and organised crime, ranging from illegal fishing and small-scale mining to fraudulent schemes commonly known as "419" or "fraud boys", emphasised the alarming scale of illicit activities in the country, including drug trafficking, with Ghana identified as a major transit point for drug shipments from South America to Europe.

Asante noted the dangers faced by individuals who refuse to cooperate with criminal networks and stressed the importance of remaining vigilant in combating serious and organised crime, warning of the potential infiltration of terrorist financing through illicit activities such as illegal gold mining and drug trafficking.