Accra: The Conference of Presiding Members, Volta Region has declared its backing for Dr Gabriel Tanko Kwamigah-Atokple, the Region's Council of State member, in a dispute with the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over alleged reputational damage.
According to Ghana News Agency, the controversy began with EOCO's investigation into a commercial agreement between Dr Kwamigah-Atokple's company, Sesi-Edem Company Limited, and JG Resources Ltd for gold supply. EOCO alleged the transaction was unlicensed, despite Sesi-Edem holding necessary approvals. However, on March 19, 2026, a High Court in Adentan ruled in favor of Sesi-Edem, stating that EOCO acted without mandate and violated constitutional principles of fairness, ordering the immediate de-freezing of Sesi-Edem's accounts and deeming the investigation civil rather than criminal.
Despite the court ruling, EOCO continued to label Dr Kwamigah-Atokple as a 'person of interest' and maintained its investigation. This prompted Dr Kwamigah-Atokple to accuse EOCO of ignoring the verdict and attempting to act in contempt of court. He also gave EOCO, led by Mr Raymond Archer, a 12-hour ultimatum to retract its 'wanted' declarations and public statements and issue an apology, threatening legal action for defamation and abuse of power.
The Conference of Presiding Members, Volta Region, at a press conference on Wednesday, addressed by Mr Moses Awukuvi-Danyevor, the Presiding Member for Central Tongu, condemned EOCO's actions as an 'unjustified agenda of persecution' and called on all to respect judicial authority and allow due process to proceed without interference. He urged stakeholders, especially the media and civil society, to respect the law and avoid creating narratives that undermined Dr Kwamigah-Atokple's personality, warning that any attempts to tarnish his image or undermine the dignity of the office he occupied would be met with lawful actions.
The Conference issued a strong caution to all persons and entities engaged in actions threatening the peace, reputation, and institutional stability of the Volta Region, emphasizing the need for responsible actions in the interest of justice, truth, and development. They stated clearly that continued attempts to malign Dr Kwamigah-Atokple or disrupt institutional stability in the Volta Region would compel them to explore and implement all lawful measures necessary to protect the reputation of the Council of State member and safeguard the integrity of local governance structures, while upholding the dignity of the Volta Region.