Accra, Feb.23, GNA - Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Attorney General and Minister of Justice on Tuesday reiterated government's determination to fight organised crime especially drug trafficking and money laundering. She noted that sometimes it was difficult to prosecute offenders because of their sophisticated nature and logistical constraints. Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu was speaking at the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General and the US Embassy in Accra.

The MOU signed on behalf of Ghana by Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu and Mr. Donald Teitelbaum, US Ambassador to Ghana, on behalf of his country is for the provision of a temporary US Government Prosecutor to train and work with Ghanaian prosecutors on how to investigate organised crime cases associated with narcotic trafficking and money laundering. The US Prosecutor expected within the next three months would be working for six to nine months depending on the success of the training programme.

Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu announced efforts by government to transform the Serious Fraud Office into Financial and Economic Crime (FEC) unit to be the leading agency in investigating organised and economic crimes in the country.

She said the mode of narcotic trafficking and laundering had become complicated and required collaboration with other international organisations to fight the cross-border crimes.

"We are the first to admit that we have not been successful in fighting the narcotic trade in the country," she said Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu expressed the hope that the MOU would strengthen the ties between Ghana and the US and facilitate the fight against organised crime.

She said the Ministry had human and logistics constraints such as the lack of prosecutors, compelling the police to handle some prosecution cases. Mr. Teitelbaum pledged the commitment of the US to collaborate with Ghana to fight narcotic traffickers who use Ghana as a transit corridor. He said the MOU was another indication of the continuing partnership between US and Ghana on projects of mutual interest.

"The continued co-operation between the US and Ghana to stem the flow of illegal drugs would result in a safer and more secure Ghana," he said.