Lawyer petitions RTI Commission over EOCO's failure to release details on GH¢600 million recoveries
via GhanaWeb4 min read
Legal practitioner Lawrence Kwesi Botchway Jnr has formally petitioned the Right to Information Commission, seeking a review of the Economic and Organised Crime Office's EOCO alleged failure to provide information regarding GH¢600 million in recoveries. Botchway's initial request, dated March 2, 2026, sought a detailed breakdown of the recoveries, including amounts, names of individuals or entities, dates, and the current location of the funds, which were mentioned during the President's 2026 State of the Nation Address. EOCO responded by requesting Botchway submit his Ghana Card in person, a demand he argues is unlawful, citing Section 181d of the Right to Information Act, 2019 Act 989, which only requires "proof of identity." Botchway subsequently provided a certified copy of his Voter ID card, but as of April 23, 2026, EOCO had not provided further communication. He contends that EOCO's actions constitute a "deemed refusal" under the law and that the information is of public interest, relating to funds already disclosed at the national level. Botchway is asking the Commission to declare EOCO's demands unlawful, affirm his Voter ID as sufficient proof, and order EOCO to release the requested information within seven days, potentially sanctioning the office for obstructing access.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by GhanaWeb.
Koku Anyidoho, a former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress NDC, has labeled a recent statement from the Presidency as “useless” and indicative of weak leadership. His comments follow allegations that some government appointees paid money to receive awards. Speaking on Okay FM on June 9, 2026, Anyidoho expressed disappointment with the government's handling of the controversy, noting that the "optics" surrounding the government have been unfavorable over the past two months, with appointees appearing overly eager to claim credit. He argued that credit for government achievements should primarily go to the President. Anyidoho commended political analyst Kpessa-Whyte for publicly alleging that appointees paid for awards and questioned the basis for selecting some award recipients, citing issues like widespread open defecation in Accra despite an award given to the Greater Accra Regional Minister. He also pointed out that none of the implicated appointees have denied the allegations, and claimed that award organizers threatened to expose those who did. Anyidoho stated that the Presidency's circular, which admonished appointees, showed a lack of leadership and control within the government. He suggested that if wrongdoing occurred, those responsible should be sanctioned, drawing comparisons to tougher actions taken by former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufuor, and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in similar situations. Anyidoho concluded by ex
Must ReadDr. Yaw Twerefour, a Ghanaian citizen, has petitioned the Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional the practice of allocating portions of the District Assemblies Common Fund DACF to Members of Parliament MPs. The suit, filed under Articles 21 and 130 of the 1992 Constitution, seeks an interpretation of Article 252, which established the DACF. Dr. Twerefour argues that the fund is constitutionally intended for District Assemblies, and any allocation to MPs falls outside the constitutional framework for decentralized development. He contends that this practice, which has existed since the late 1990s under various labels, lacks constitutional or statutory foundation and was introduced through administrative decisions. A key concern is the alleged payment of DACF monies into MPs' personal bank accounts, which Dr. Twerefour claims undermines accountability and transparency, making funds difficult to track. He also suggests this practice weakens the Auditor-General's oversight and may violate Article 187 of the Constitution and the Public Financial Management Act, 2016. The plaintiff maintains that while MPs are ex-officio members of District Assemblies, this status does not grant them authority to administer or receive DACF monies. He seeks a declaration that the DACF is exclusively for District Assemblies, that allocations to MPs are unconstitutional, and orders to halt future payments to MPs and ensure compliance with the fund's governing framework. The Attorney-General, the Ad
Must ReadA South African activist has called on African governments to evacuate their citizens from South Africa, citing Ghana's recent repatriation efforts as a precedent. In a video shared by @askghmedia on June 10, 2026, the activist urged other African nations to take proactive steps to protect their nationals amidst growing concerns over xenophobic attacks. He emphasized that countries should not wait for the situation to worsen, stating, "Ghana has set a good precedent. All African countries must follow suit. Please come for your people before it's too late." The activist also advocated for stricter immigration enforcement in South Africa, expressing opposition to illegal migration. He asserted that South Africans are demanding increased government resources to secure borders and prevent unlawful entry, stating, "We cannot allow our country to be polluted by illegal immigrants in the name of ‘you helped us during apartheid.’" He added, "We are commanding our government to invest more resources to ensure that foreigners do not enter the country illegally anymore."