"Don't publish negative things about EOCO" - EOCO Board Chair

Board Chairman of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Raymond Dapaah Addo Esq. has charged the media to desist from publishing negative things about the government institution.

According to him, such negative reportage creates bad impressions about the government institution.

Speaking at an EOCO-Media Soiree in Accra, the Board Chairman said "The variety of questions being asked posed here shows the need to have had this conversation with Journalists. This is the first time Journalists have been invited into our premises and also to ask questions which relevant to the works that we are doing. Don't publish negative things about EOCO"

"To further deepen the collaboration between EOCO and GJA, for your next awards, with the support from the Executive Director, we are instituting an award "Best crime reporter with bias towards EOCO"

"So that the perception people may have about EOCO will change"

He described EOCO as a friendly institution adding that the government institution only invites people for questions when the need be.

"We respect your rights and we want you to feel free even if we are going to jail you, so that you will go to jail smiling"

Taking her turn, Executive Director of EOCO, COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah said "We need to change the perception that people have about us. When you hear EOCO, there are different things that comes to mind"

"Either, this place is very intimidating or ou come here and they don't receive you well and other things"

"Some few weeks ago, we launched our five-years strategic plan 2023 to 2028 and one of the pillars of this strategic plans is to partner with the media.

"We want the whole public to know about EOCO. What we do and what other things do we want people to refrain from"

The Executive Director charged the media to exercise patience when certain information are withheld.

"Sometimes, you also don't understand us. There are some cases that we are investigating, we want to wait small before we bring the information out but before you are aware, it already out. It affects our investigations because maybe, we are still gathering information"

"You don't have to throw out something into the public when you don't have the facts"

"Our doors are always opened. If there is something that you want to publish, can you come to us so that we can clarify. We love to know the state of affairs so that you don't come out before we go round trying to correct the damage."

COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah further revealed that EOCO is a public institution which has been established to support the activities of government.

She added that EOCO has been tasked to ensure that crimes are brought to its barest minimum.

On his part, President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour said "Tomorrow, we are launching the GJA Awards and before we even launch, we have our first sponsor which is EOCO. EOCO will sponsor a category"

"What happened this evening to even tell you that, there are lots of lingering questions in the mind of not only Journalists but the Ghanaian public"

"You cannot transform when people have negative thoughts or perceptions about you"

He also assured management of EOCO of more collaborations.

He also charged the various security agencies to share information with the media in order not to disseminate false news to the masses.

"This is more reason people are concerned that security agencies must do well to enhance on their communication"

Mr. Dwumfour stressed that effective communication is very key since it can help bridge the gap between the civilian and security agencies.

"Make good use of this platform and also marriage" he noted.

Responding to confiscation of vehicles by EOCO, Deputy Executive Director, Operations, Abdulai Bashiru Dapilah (Esq.) said "EOCO is a crime-fighting agency. Ghana Revenue Authority has a mandate of collecting revenue for government."

"Some of the victims of stolen vehicles are sometimes murdered while some of thhe vehicles are obtained through hijacking likewise stealing"

"FBI collaborates with us most times. We are not harassing anyone likewise are we also waiting for people to pay expensive duties before we confiscate the cars"

EOCO says it has alerted DVLA to also be on the look-out for suspected or stolen vehicles.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith