At least 31 journalists from Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are undergoing a three-day training on investigative journalism on Economic and financial crimes in Abuja, Nigeria.
It seeks to build a strong alliance with the media in a concerted manner for effective dissemination of Anti Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT).
It also aims to interact with the media on money laundering and financial terrorism.
Organised by the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa(GIABA), the training draws participants from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, the Gambia, Cote D’ivoire, Togo, Liberia, Guniea Bissau and Benin.
The Director General of GIABA, Mr Edwin Harris, Jr, in opening the workshop, said ECOWAS member states, like the rest of the world, were suffering from the horrors of the act of transnational organised crimes, in particular migrant, sumggling, drug trafficking, embezzlement, corruption and other predicates of money laundering which fuel violence and terrorism.
He said media play a crucial role in uncovering allegations of corruption, promoting good governance, attracting the sustained attention of law enforcement authorities and the public to the fight against financial and economic crimes.
Mr Harris stressed the need for closer and more productive collaboration with the media as they constitute one of the main sources of information and intelligence both for political decision makers and for the international information community both for policy makers and the public.
The Director of Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, Mr Modibbo Hammontukur, who was represented by Mohammed Ahmed, Chief of Staff, said money laundering was just not an isolated crime but inter connected crime which jeopadises the peace and security in the region and worldwide.
“As a developing region, the impact of money laundering affects financial institutions, promotes corruption, criminal activities and hampers economic growth,” he added.
He commended GIABA for the initiative in building alliance with the media to combat trans- organised crimes in the sub-region
Some of the topics to be discussed are Understanding the role, mandate and mission of GIABA as regional initiative, introduction to AML/CTF standards, ethics in investigative journalism, use of AML/CFT terminologies in writing investigative reports and understanding national AML/CFT risks.
FROM ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI, ABUJA
