Editors and senior journalists in the Ashanti Region have been urged to strengthen their coverage of Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) and domestic revenue mobilisation in order to help Ghana tackle major revenue losses that continue to undermine national development.

The call was made at a sensitisation workshop organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in Kumasi on Friday, August 15, 2025.

The event formed part of the “Tax for Development: Strengthening Civil Society and Media for Fiscal Justice” project, supported by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) through Oxfam in Ghana.

Speaking at the workshop, MFWA Senior Manager, Rosemond Ebi-Adwo Aryeetey, stressed the media’s crucial role in exposing financial crimes and ensuring accountability.

“Journalists should utilise this guide to investigate and enlighten the public,” she said, referring to a new media handbook designed to aid reporting on financial crimes and revenue leakages.

Project consultant Bishop Akolgo explained that IFFs stem from activities such as trade mispricing, money laundering, and illicit trade, which together cost Ghana between $1.4 billion and $3 billion annually.

He urged state institutions, including the Bank of Ghana, the Ghana Revenue Authority, and the Financial Intelligence Centre, to intensify efforts to uncover irregularities.

Representing the Ghana Private Newspaper and Online Publishers Association (PRINPAG), Isaac Amoah, Managing Editor of The New Trust, underscored the importance of the new media guide.

“With this guide, we now have a reliable resource to investigate and report financial crimes more effectively,” he said, calling on journalists not to neglect the document.

The media guide, according to organisers, is expected to serve as a valuable tool for journalists across Ghana to expose illicit financial practices, promote transparency, and contribute to improved fiscal justice.