The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has partnered with civil society to train selected journalists on the legal rules and procedures that govern the confiscation of assets belonging to persons suspected of corruption and other financial crimes.

The session, organised by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) in partnership with GIABA, followed an invitation to the OSP and forms part of its broader strategy to engage the media as key partners in promoting transparency and accountability.

Albert Akurugu, Director of Asset Recovery and Management at the OSP, took participants through the Office’s jurisdiction in asset recovery and management, including the legal processes for identifying, freezing, and confiscating assets suspected to be linked to corruption.

He explained the lawful steps the OSP is empowered to take under Ghanaian law and clarified that when the public hears of the OSP searching the homes or offices of individuals, it is not an unlawful act but a legitimate part of investigations—either to gather evidence or to preserve assets believed to be tainted.

He further stressed the vital role journalists play in fighting corruption: “The media must raise public awareness, promote transparency, and hold institutions to account through accurate and responsible reporting.”

The session brought together other state law enforcement bodies, including the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), creating a shared platform for engaging the media on their complementary roles in combating financial crime.