Ghana’s Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has recorded the highest financial recoveries in its history, exceeding its 2025 target by a wide margin, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Hon. Dominic Ayine, has announced.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House in Accra, Hon. Ayine disclosed that EOCO has recovered a total of GHS 337.4 million, far above the GHS 200 million recovery target set for the year. He described the achievement as unprecedented and a clear indication of renewed effectiveness in the fight against economic and organised crime.
“Now, in terms of recoveries, the Economic and Organised Crime Office has exceeded the 2025 target, which was set at 200 million. Recoveries currently stand at GHS 337.4 million.”
Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Hon. Dominic Ayine
He noted that the figure represents an excess of more than GHS 133.4 million over the target, making it the highest recovery ever recorded by the agency since its establishment. Hon. Ayine explained that the total amount reflects recoveries from completed cases and is made up of both direct and indirect recoveries.
According to him, direct recoveries are funds that are paid straight into EOCO’s exhibit account, while indirect recoveries are amounts paid directly into state institutions such as the Ghana Revenue Authority or the Consolidated Fund.
He revealed that direct recoveries currently stand at approximately GHS 194 million, representing monies physically lodged into EOCO’s accounts following investigations and court processes. Indirect recoveries, he added, amount to about GHS 142.6 million and consist of funds recovered on behalf of the state and paid directly to relevant public institutions.
The Attorney-General stressed that the figures are not projections or estimates but represent actual recoveries from cases that have been concluded. He said the results demonstrate a new level of efficiency and seriousness in the work of EOCO, particularly in handling complex financial crimes that previously resulted in little or no recovery.
“The success story of the Economic and Organised Crime Office shows that institutions matter, that institutional leadership is crucial to the success of the institutions we create as a country.”
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Hon. Dominic Ayine
Quality Leadership Responsible for Turnaround
He attributed the turnaround at EOCO largely to the quality of leadership currently steering the office, noting that integrity at the top directly influences institutional performance. “The current leadership of the EOCO shows that when leadership bestows integrity, institutions perform their mandated functions optimally,” the Attorney-General observed.
Hon. Ayine also placed the achievement within the broader national governance framework, crediting the political backing provided by President John Dramani Mahama. According to him, the support from the presidency has been instrumental in empowering both the Attorney-General’s Department and EOCO to function without interference.
“At the national level, we are witnesses to the leadership being provided by His Excellency John Dramani Mahama. Without his committed support for my office and the EOCO, we would not have been here today,” he said, expressing gratitude for what he described as consistent and principled backing for accountability institutions.
The Attorney-General’s remarks come at a time when public confidence in anti-corruption agencies has often been tested by concerns over weak enforcement and limited asset recovery. The scale of EOCO’s recoveries this year, he suggested, signals a shift from rhetoric to measurable results.
While Hon. Ayine did not go into details about specific cases contributing to the recoveries, he indicated that the figures were drawn from a combination of direct financial restitutions, settlements, and enforcement actions that ensured funds were returned to the state or appropriate public accounts.
He emphasized that the record recoveries should not be seen as an endpoint but as a foundation for deeper institutional reform and sustained performance. According to him, the challenge now is to consolidate the gains, strengthen investigative capacity, and ensure that future recoveries are matched by successful prosecutions and deterrence.
The announcement has added to a series of recent public disclosures highlighting EOCO’s renewed operational posture, particularly in financial crime investigations involving large sums of money and complex recovery processes. The figures as a benchmark that will likely shape public expectations of EOCO’s performance going forward.
For Hon. Ayine, however, the message was clear: effective leadership, political will, and institutional integrity can translate into tangible outcomes. As he concluded his remarks, the Attorney-General reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening accountability mechanisms and ensuring that economic crime does not go unpunished.
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