GHANA’S President John Mahama has appointed renowned investigative journalist and security expert, Raymond Archer, as the Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), following a shake-up in the leadership of the anti-corruption agency.
The announcement followed the reassignment of the outgoing EOCO boss, Abdulai Bashiru Dapilah, who will now take up a new role as Technical Advisor at the National Security Secretariat.
The ICIR reports that Archer’s strong background in investigative journalism, especially his expertise in exposing financial misconduct is expected to influence his leadership and enhance the agency’s investigative capabilities.
Archer’s appointment is viewed as part of broader leadership changes within Ghana’s security framework, intended to bring fresh energy and strategic direction to key institutions.
Archer is an investigative journalist for the Ghanaian Chronicle, the largest independent daily newspaper in gold-rich country.
He has been actively engaged in investigating corruption and financial crimes for over 20 years.
Archer has headed the Opponent’s Research Group (ORG) since 2019, a covert unit focused on exposing high-level economic crimes and systemic corruption.
Archer’s ties to EOCO trace back to 2010, when he served as a United Nations consultant and played a pivotal role in drafting the Economic and Organised Crime Act, the legislation that formally established the agency.
Beyond his journalism career, Archer is a Certified Counter Fraud Specialist and has served as a consultant for several international firms, including KPMG Europe, Kroll & Associates UK, and Risk Analysis UK.
He also owns cybersecurity firms that collaborate with top Israeli security companies.
His appointment hints at a potential strategic shift within EOCO, with high expectations that Archer’s investigative expertise will bolster the fight against organised crime and corruption in the country.
He is a graduate of the Ghana Institute of Journalism and a fellow at the Marquette University/Les Aspin Center for Government in Wisconsin.
In 2002, Archer won both the Global Medal and the African Prize at the Lorenzo Natali Prize for Excellence in Journalism, sponsored by the European Union and the International Federation of Journalists.
He is also a board member of the West African Organization for Democracy and Governance.
Archer adds to the growing list of journalists who have been given appointments by Mahama, who took over the country’s leadership for a second and final term on January 7, 2025.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.