The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has launched a comprehensive Guide for Journalists on Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs), Progressive Taxation, Resource-Based Lending, and Domestic Revenue Mobilisation to bolster the capacity of journalists reporting on complex but critical economic issues.
The guide, developed under the Foundation’s Media and Good Governance programme, is designed to support journalists in unearthing and effectively reporting on illicit financial flows—an underreported yet deeply impactful area affecting development in Ghana and across the continent.
Speaking at the launch, Rosemond Ebi-Adwo Aryeetey, Senior Programme Manager for Media and Democracy at the MFWA, emphasized the significance of the guide in empowering journalists to hold power to account through data-driven, well-researched reporting.
Ms. Aryeetey noted that the complexities surrounding IFFs, taxation, and resource-based financing often deter journalists from exploring them in-depth. With this guide, the MFWA, she said, hopes to bridge the knowledge gap, spark investigative interest, and contribute to improved public financial management through robust media coverage.
Guide Offers Journalists Practical Tools to Uncover Hidden Wealth and Strengthen Accountability
Dr. Bishop Akolgo, the lead consultant for the development of the guide, provided an in-depth overview of the document’s contents and its significance in the broader fight against illicit financial flows (IFFs) and the inefficiencies in Ghana’s domestic revenue system. He underscored the critical role journalists can play in holding power to account and driving systemic change—if equipped with the right tools and knowledge.
Dr. Akolgo revealed that Ghana loses between $4 to $6 billion annually through suspicious financial transactions, citing studies backed by the UNDP and other credible sources. “Even if just 10% of that figure was properly mobilized, it could significantly improve service delivery and development,” he said.
The losses, he noted, occur primarily in the extractive and manufacturing sectors, where low taxes, poor oversight, and weak contract governance enable capital flight and tax evasion.
The guide, which is structured into 14 comprehensive chapters, introduces journalists to key concepts around illicit financial flows, domestic resource mobilization, progressive taxation, and resource-based lending. It walks reporters through Ghana’s extractive sector—which dominates the economy—exploring how weak policy enforcement and poorly negotiated contracts prevent the sector from catalyzing broader industrial development. “We’ve become lazy tax collectors,” Dr. Akolgo remarked, pointing to a disconnect between natural resource extraction and the rest of the economy.
Dr. Akolgo emphasized the need for journalists to not only investigate but also contextualize the economic practices in moral and legal terms. “IFFs are often facilitated through legal loopholes but have devastating moral implications,” he said. The guide equips journalists with real-world case studies, step-by-step investigative methodologies, and digital tools to detect and report these schemes—across sectors like real estate, procurement, mining, and fisheries.
To mitigate risks, the guide encourages collaborative journalism, providing journalists with networks and alliances to work within, while protecting themselves from retaliation. “When journalists work in isolation, they are vulnerable. But when they act collectively, they become a force that even politicians fear,” Dr. Akolgo added.
Above all, he challenged journalists to turn data into action through evidence-based storytelling that can pressure duty bearers to act. “This guide is not just about knowledge—it’s about power. The power to inform citizens, the power to hold elites accountable, and the power to transform journalism into a tool for national development.”
GJA Underscores Media’s Role in Promoting Transparency and Economic Justice
Also speaking at the event, Rebecca Ekpe, Vice President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), reiterated the GJA’s commitment to empowering journalists to effectively report on illicit financial flows, tax justice, and domestic revenue mobilization.
She praised the guide, saying it would be an invaluable resource—offering tools, insights, and best practices to help journalists amplify the voices of the marginalized and hold power to account. “Our mandate is to give voice to the voiceless. Let us use this opportunity to uncover the truth, expose wrongdoing, and help build a more transparent, equitable, and prosperous Ghana,” she urged.
PRINPAG Calls for Renewed Commitment to Integrity and Fiscal Justice Reporting
In his remarks, Jeorge Wilson Kingson, Executive Secretary of the Private Newspaper and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), described the launch of the guide as “a moment of refinement”—urging journalists to recommit to the principles of integrity, accountability, and transparency.
Speaking on behalf of PRINPAG’s national executives and members, he emphasized that the Media Guide is a crucial tool in the fight against illicit financial flows, weak tax systems, and poor resource governance—issues that continue to deprive Ghana of critical revenue for development. “This guide is not just a reference—it is a professional standard,” he said, encouraging especially print and online journalists to use it to conduct rigorous, evidence-based investigations that hold institutions to account and inform the public with clarity.
Oxfam Reaffirms Support for a Just Economy and Transparent Development
Mohammed-Anwar Sadat Adam, Country Director of Oxfam in Ghana, said Oxfam’s involvement in the media guide aligns with its core mission of fighting inequality, ending poverty, and promoting a just and fair economy.
He emphasized that while Oxfam is known for its humanitarian work, its commitment to fiscal justice is an essential part of ensuring equitable development. “We see this guide as a tool for empowerment—a resource that helps journalists uncover wrongdoing, promote transparency, and advocate for change,” he said.
Sadat Adam noted that the organization has been working over the past two years through a NORAD-funded regional project implemented not just in Ghana, but also in Uganda and Kenya. In Ghana, key partners include the Media Foundation for West Africa, NOORSAC in northern Ghana, and the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), with a focus on tax justice in the extractive sector.
He praised the Media Foundation’s achievements under the project, including training 20 journalists, producing educational content, and fostering engagement between media and state actors. He also cited staggering losses to IFFs, noting how they deprive Ghanaians of quality education, health, and infrastructure. “These figures represent stolen opportunities. That money could transform lives,” he stressed.
Sadat Adam reiterated that the media, as the fourth estate, plays a vital role in safeguarding public interest but needs tools and resources to navigate the technical terrain of fiscal crimes. “This guide reflects local realities and global best practices. It is not just another publication—it is a call to action,” he said, urging journalists to use it to promote accountability and drive structural reforms.
The guide was launched by Ernest Owusu Addo, a Member of the National Media Commission, who recounted his own difficulties as a practicing investigative journalist and noted how this guide would have been a game changer for him. He urged today’s investigative journalists to take full advantage of the guide to uncover deeper truths and tell even more compelling, impactful stories that hold power to account.
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1 MHz | Mark Smith | Accra
