body-container-line-1
10.12.2013 General News

GIABA To Boost AML/CFT Knowledge Among Students Through Inter-Universities Speech Contest In The Anglophone Countries Of West Africa

GIABA To Boost AMLCFT Knowledge Among Students Through Inter-Universities Speech Contest In The Anglophone Countries Of West Africa
10.12.2013 LISTEN

The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) is organizing Inter-Universities Speech Contest on the Impact of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing on West African Economies on the theme: “The Youth Force and the Fight against Corruption and Money Laundering in West Africa” at the Christ The King Parish Hall, opposite Flagstaff House (the office of the President), Cantonments, Accra, Ghana on December 13, 2013.

As part of its efforts at ensuring the implementation of effective Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regimes in its member States, GIABA has identified youths as important segment in the fight against money laundering and corruption, largely because evidences abound that the youths are highly vulnerable to the risk of money laundering and other related crimes. In the past 5 years, GIABA has creatively engaged the youths and students in the region through a series of awareness and sensitization programmes, such as Open House Forums, Sensitization Campaigns amongst others. In 2011, GIABA held its maiden Annual Lecture Series for the University Community.

The Inter-Universities Speech Contest is a natural follow-up to the Annual Public Lecture Series which GIABA organized at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in December 2011.The objective of this event is to serve as a platform for promoting knowledge of AML/CFT regimes and exchange of ideas on topical issues by directing the enormous power of human knowledge as a transformative force for the development of ECOWAS member States. It will thus be an avenue to mobilize youths against organized crime by providing them with opportunities to research, write and speak on different areas of the AML/CFT framework in West Africa, thus providing an opportunity for youths to embark on advocacy by helping to disseminate AML/CFT messages to their peers and political decision-makers.

An independent evaluation of GIABA's 2007-2009 Strategic Plan acknowledged the need to improve on the capacities of youths in member States in order to enhance their understanding of AML/CFT regimes, thereby positioning them as champions of good governance. This calls for the implementation of activities that recognize youths as actors in the fight against money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation of small and light weapons and other predicate crimes.

Over 300 participants from the Higher Institutions of learning in Ghana are expected to participate in the event holding at the Teachers' conference Hall Accra, Ghana at 8.00 am.

Dignitaries expected at the event include the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ernest Aryeetey and the National Correspondent of GIABA in Ghana who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana's Financial Intelligence Center, Mr. Samuel Thompson Essel. A high point of the event will be the Keynote Address by the Director General of GIABA, Dr. Abdullahi Shehu entitled 'Charting the Course of an Inclusive AML/CFT framework in West Africa' aimed at showcasing the mandate, operations and achievements of GIABA in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing in the region.

The Speech Contest will feature discussions on money laundering, terrorism financing, economic and financial crimes, organized crime, proliferation of small and light weapons and the efforts and strategies aimed at combating them. Students of universities from Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, The Gambia and Sierra Leone are contesting the event.

At the end of the event in Accra, it is expected that youths would form a well-organized and highly sensitized alliance on AML/CFT regimes; that the number of people particularly youths that have a thorough understanding of the consequences of AML/CFT would increase; that there would be more effective collaboration in AML/CFT; and that there would be increased interest in researches into topics on AML/CFT.

body-container-line