The media has been urged to remain steadfast in its watchdog role to help curb cor­ruption and other financial crimes across the country.As such, journalists have been encouraged to familiarise them­selves with Ghana's anti-cor­ruption laws and asset recovery frameworks to effectively report on such issues and contribute meaningfully to national develop­ment.These calls were made by speak­ers at a sensitisation workshop organised by the Ghana Anti-Cor­ruption Coalition (GACC) in collaboration with the Inter-Gov­ernmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) for selected journalists in Accra yesterday.Held on the theme: 'Building Political Will and Public Support for Asset Recovery in Ghana,' the workshop aimed to deepen journalists' understanding of asset recovery and enhance their role in advancing the country's anti-cor­ruption agenda.The Acting Head of Legal and Prosecution at the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Mr Leo Anthony Siamah, in a re­mark, underscored the importance of asset recovery in combating financial crimes and other illicit activities in the country, stressing the need for collective efforts to achieve results.He revealed that over the past two years, EOCO had recovered more than GH¢279 million for the state, and confiscated about 60 stolen vehicles as well as various landed properties belonging to suspected and convicted individ­uals.Despite these gains, he empha­sised, the agency continues to face challenges, including complex legal procedures, limited inter­national and local cooperation, and inadequate logistics to tackle increasingly sophisticated crimes, which often allowed suspects to evade justice.Mr Siamah again called for a more robust legal framework to enhance EOCO's ability to track, freeze, and confiscate stolen assets.He also emphasised the need for greater cross-sector collabora­tion, investment in technology for crime tracking, and active public participation in crime reporting."The power of collective efforts; from government, civil so­ciety organisations, the media, and other stakeholders can significantly advance the fight for a more ac­countable and transparent society that supports Ghana's economic development," he stated.The Director of Asset Recovery and Management at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Mr Albert Akurugu, disclosed that the OSP was advocating for the enactment of an Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO) law, which would place the burden of proof for one's wealth on the individual.He urged the media to support anti-corruption efforts through responsible and investigative re­porting, adding that; "Corruption thrives in darkness.

The media's role is to shed light on it."The Executive Secretary of GACC, Ms Beauty Emefa Narteh, also highlighted the media's critical role in maintaining public trust in democratic and governance processes."If the media fails in its duty, the public is left with incomplete and often misleading information, which could undermine national efforts to fight corruption and recover stolen assets," she empha­sised. BY ABIGAIL ANNOH