Former Anyaa Sowutuom Member of Parliament, Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, has called for a complete rebranding of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to restore public confidence in the institution.
According to him, EOCO has become politicised, leading to a significant erosion of public trust and the perception that its actions are often politically motivated.
Speaking on Accra-based Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Wednesday, May 14, the former lawmaker also questioned the agency’s capacity in handling complex investigations.
“EOCO has now been tainted, and unfortunately, they need to repackage and rebrand themselves as a non-political entity.
“When that is done, many of us will be more comfortable when we hear that EOCO is examining something — and not immediately expect the matter to end up in court without the proper checks and balances being observed,” he stated.
Dr. Adomako Kissi warned that the agency’s current posture risks targeting innocent individuals and damaging reputations.
“It shouldn’t be the case that any of us can just be accused and have our reputations damaged simply because someone failed to do their homework.
“Some of my colleagues have been called in by EOCO, only for them to realise that the officers were clueless and had summoned the wrong people about a so-called crime,” he claimed.
His comments come in the wake of criminal charges filed against the former Board Chair of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi is facing charges of conspiracy to commit a crime — specifically, wilfully causing financial loss to the Republic — under Section 23(1) and Section 179A(3)(a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The charges relate to a $2 million payment made in 2019 to Africa Investor Holdings Limited for the development of an urban Sky Train system in Accra — a project that was never executed.