The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) is embarking on a 2 – day Media Outreach Activities and Advocacy to Accra, Ghana, from November 27 – 28, 2023.
The 2 – day outreach activities shall involve a day each for official advocacy and sensitization visit to the management and editorial team of selected media organizations and an interactive session with reporters in Accra, Ghana, aimed at establishing Desk Officers for GIABA in the media houses and increased awareness of the fight against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (ML/TF).
The objective of GIABA AML/CFT Media Outreach is to harness the massive potential of the media to increase awareness of AML/CFT issues among the populace of West Africa.
It is also to liaise with the media to educate the populace on the negative impact of Money laundering and Terrorist Financing and raise the interest of the public in supporting AML/CFT efforts spearheaded by GIABA.
The media plays critical role to promote good governance, ensures optimal deployment of state resources, facilitates the protection of rights of citizens and ensures that corrupt officials and corrupt practices are exposed.
Therefore the importance of the media in disseminating AML/CFT messages cannot be over-emphasized. The media serves as a change agent particularly as an anti-corruption crusade.
A total of 15 journalists will benefit for the one day sensitization workshop bothering on the roles of the media in the fight against economic and financial crimes, while the Director General of GIABA will pay an advocacy visit to 5 media organizations aimed at increased awareness of the fight against ML/TF.
Initially, at the fore of the implementation of the AML/CFT standards are the law enforcement and regulatory/supervisory agencies. However, given the immensity of issues involved, the stakeholders’ base has been deepened and broadened to include non-traditional entities to ensure a holistic approach and complementarities in the fight.
GIABA recognises the critical roles of Journalists in the information-chain on money laundering and terrorist financing, as the people bearing responsibility for the content of the news media, editors decide whether to give a news story on money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) prominence or to relegate it.
The national media Outreach Activities and Advocacy is part of the Director General’s high level advocacy mission towards engagment with stalkholders in the fight against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (ML/TF).
