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| PIX: Participants, facilitators, & Gambia's Minister of Finance |
Hon. Abdou Kolley, Gambia’s Minister of Finance and Economic
Affairs has called on West African journalists to assist their various
governments in exposing corrupt people and systems.
He said it is excepted of them to do their job by reporting
issues in a professional manner, a role he believe only highly skilled
investigative reporters can carry out effectively.
“Money-laundering and terrorism-financing are twin evils
that are capable of destroying all the great efforts by any government in
ensuring sustainable development,” said Minister Kolley, who was speaking at
the beginning of a two-day Seminar on Anti-Money Laundering andCounter-Financing Terrorism (AML/CFT) for Anglophone West African journalistson June 28-29, 2012 at the Laico Atlantic Hotel in Banjul, The Gambia.
The event, organized by the Sub-regional Inter-Governmental
Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) is meant to expose
journalists to the knowledge of AML/CFT framework, assist journalists to
produce reports and articles or features of quality on AML/CFT issues, and
improve network of journalists who will assist GIABA in disseminating
information on the AML/CFT system in West Africa.
Thematic issues to be dealt with are the role of GIABA in
fighting against Money Laundering in West Africa, the role of media in fighting
against Money Laundering, method and technique in investigative journalism, use
new technologies in investigative
journalism; building cooperation and reporting inside source of information;
forensic reporting; writing investigative features; including practical
exercise and case studies.
On Thursday, Gambia’s finance minister said money laundering
is a crime that is complex and not easy to detect, it is a menace causing
serious consequence on political, social and economic development around the
globe and no nation is spared.
“This criminal activity is usually fuelled by corrupt and
greed thus undermining sustainable development aspirations of nations, due to
the fact that the finances generated under this illegal and criminal manner are
mainly utilized to sponsor illegal activities in society,” he argued.
He noted that the Government
of the Gambia recognizes the pivotal role GIABA plays in safeguarding the
economies and financial system of ECOWAS members States from the laundering of
these proceeds of criminal origin.
He said: “The Seminar
came at a time when Gambia government has stepped up, and continues to
persistently pursue its fight against money laundering and related menaces. This
is vigorously being pursued through the promulgation of tough anti money
laundering laws with a view to also countering terrorism financing.”
The National Assembly passed the new Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorist Financing Act, 2012 bring it in line with international best practice, he said.
Developing countries are constant targets and conduits for
money laundering and terrorism funding, despite all effort and resources to
combat this menace they are unfortunately, disproportionately at risk due to
poor capacity and inadequate resource (human and institutional) to deal with
the problem.
However, Mr. Kolley noted that the past twenty years have
witnessed increased efforts and collaboration geared towards addressing the
issue of money laundering and other forms of organized crimes that are
constantly plaguing various societies.
“The media plays a vital role in awareness raising and
disseminating AML/CFT messages,” said the GIABA Director General, Dr. Abdullahi
Sehu, whose statement was delivered by GIABA’s Director of Programmes and
Projects, Dr. ‘Buno E. Nduka.
“This seminar is one of the strategies of achieving the
mandate of GIABA which is to protect national economies and financial systems
of member states from laundering of proceeds of crimes.”
Dr. Shehu noted that the media serves as a change agent,
particularly as an anti-corruption crusader. To ensure that the combat against
economic and financial crime is effective, the citizens of the region should be
fully aware f the consequence of this scourge.
“The best way to achieve this is through the active
involvement of the media,” he said, adding: “The promotion of strategic
partnerships with the evil society, including the media organisations remains a
priority for GIABA within its Regional Strategic Framework.”
He stressed that the need to build the capacity of media
practitioners and to have them as informed allies in the fight against these
scourges is critical to overall success of the implementation of the AML/CFT
framework in the region.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Essa AK Drammeh, Director of
Financial Supervision Central Bank of The Gambia (CBG), said as far of the
twin-crimes of money laundering and terrorist financing are concerned, the
bottom-line in this fight is that “crime must not pay.”
“We must take the profits from crimes and disable the
perpetrators of these inhumane activities which have horrendous effects on
human existence,” said Mr. Drammeh, who also works as the acting GIABA National
Correspondent in The Gambia.
Written by Modou S. Joof
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