Prominent civil society organization, New Ghana Social Justice Forum (NGSJF) has issued an emergency directive to neighbouring countries—Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo—to impound all Ghana government vehicles crossing their borders.
The group alleged that some Ghanaian public officials may be attempting to smuggle state-owned vehicles out of the country during this “key moment for change of power on the horizon.”
In a strongly worded letter addressed to the Interior Ministers of the three neighbouring nations, public institutions in Ghana, and other stakeholders, The New Ghana expressed concerns over the illegal transfer of state property.
“It’s not uncommon for public officials to take advantage of transitional periods to steal state properties, particularly vehicles, and smuggle them across borders.”
“We are urging neighbouring countries to seize and take legal custody of such assets immediately,” the letter, signed by Yahaya Alhassan, President of The New Ghana, stated.
The civil society organization further warned that failure to comply could result in affected countries being summoned to the ECOWAS Court for “aiding and abetting crime.”
The group cited the ECOWAS charter, emphasizing the responsibility of member states to prevent the transfer of assets obtained through criminal means.
“States must make it a criminal offence to transfer assets that are the proceeds of crime or to conceal the true nature of those assets,” the group reminded its recipients.
In addition to calling for vigilance from Ghanaian security agencies, The New Ghana Forum disclosed that it is compiling a comprehensive database of public properties. The organization stated it would take serious action against any public official attempting to divert state property.
“We shall mount intense surveillance at borders and internally to ensure no state property is illegally transported. Let this serve as a warning to public officials: any such attempt will land you in serious consequences,” Alhassan warned.
The letter was also copied to diplomatic missions, anti-corruption agencies, and the media, signalling the group’s intent to involve multiple stakeholders in its efforts to safeguard state property.
This directive comes at a time when Ghana is on high alert for potential corruption and asset mismanagement, further highlighting the vital role of civil society in holding public officials accountable.