The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has pushed back against public commentary by Akwapim North lawmaker, Samuel Awuku, regarding the vessel MV Sankofa (IMO No. 7395870), accusing him of misinforming the public and undermining the Authority’s credibility.
In a statement, the GMA said it had “noted with concern the continued public commentary and media interviews” by the MP, particularly after he initially indicated plans to raise the matter through Parliament’s oversight mechanisms.
According to the Authority, it had expressed readiness to engage transparently with Parliament, stating it was prepared “to appear before the Committee and engage transparently should the Authority be invited to do so.”
However, it observed that the Akuapim North MP “subsequently abandoned that formal approach but instead resorted to media engagements that sought to misinform the public and cast unnecessary aspersions on the Authority’s regulatory integrity.”
Clarifying the status of the vessel, the GMA explained that the ship in question has undergone multiple name changes since its first registration in 1983 and was officially removed from Ghana’s registry in April 2024 after due process.
“The GMA… wishes to state that neither the vessel in question with IMO No 7395870 nor the vessel with IMO No 907855 is on Ghana’s register; therefore, they are not Ghanaian-flagged vessels,” the statement stressed.
It added that maritime protocols do not allow two vessels to bear the same name simultaneously on Ghana’s register.
The Authority also provided details of the vessel’s encounter with Ghanaian authorities in July 2025, when it was intercepted by the Ghana Navy during patrols and escorted to the Sekondi Naval Base for further inspection.
Investigations uncovered multiple violations, including breaches of the Marine Pollution Act, 2016 (Act 932), and maritime labour regulations.
“These included the failure to maintain relevant record books, as well as evidence of false flagging,” the GMA noted.
As a result, the vessel was fined $79,200 for pollution-related breaches, GH₵154,800 for labour violations, and GH₵30,000 for false flagging.
The Authority explained that although there were initial suspicions of commercial activity, further checks ruled this out, meaning a potential $1 million penalty was not applied.
Following partial payment of fines and corrective measures, including obtaining provisional registration from Cameroon, the vessel was released in November 2025.
Addressing recent developments, the GMA disclosed that Senegalese authorities contacted it in March 2026 over suspicions of drug trafficking involving the vessel.
The Authority said it “responded promptly, clarifying that the vessel is not registered in Ghana and explicitly disassociating the Republic of Ghana from all activities involving the said vessel.”
Subsequent searches by Senegalese officials found no illicit drugs onboard, and the vessel was confirmed to be carrying documentation indicating registration under the Cameroonian flag.
The GMA expressed concern over what it described as the MP’s inconsistent conduct, including withdrawing and resubmitting a Right to Information (RTI) request and circulating official documents on social media.
“It is deeply concerning that the MP chose to publicise important communication between the Senegalese Authorities and law enforcement agencies in Ghana,” the statement said, warning that such actions “compromised the law enforcement relationship between two countries.”
The Authority further noted that the Akuapim North MP “has no lawful access to the correspondences,” adding that the disclosure breached “standard protocols of state-to-state security cooperation.”
Despite the concerns raised, the GMA reiterated its commitment to transparency and regulatory integrity.
“The Authority assures the public that all of its activities… are conducted in strict compliance with national laws and international maritime regulatory standards,” the statement concluded, adding that it “will not compromise its stewardship” in overseeing Ghana’s maritime sector.
