Ghana Maritime Authority rejects Sammi Awuku’s claims over vessel linked to Senegal narcotics probe

The Ghana Maritime Authority has strongly defended its handling of a vessel at the centre of a political dispute, following criticism from Samuel Awuku, Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, over its release from Ghanaian waters last year.Mr Awuku, who also serves as Vice-Chairman of Parliament’s Committee on Public Administration and State Interests, has indicated that he intends to formally question the Authority over the case of MV Sankofa, a vessel that later surfaced in Senegal amid suspicions of involvement in illicit drug trafficking.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday, April 22, the Maritime Authority rejected any suggestion of wrongdoing, insisting it acted within the law and no longer had jurisdiction over the vessel at the time of the Senegal incident.The disagreement follows a series of public statements and media appearances by Mr Awuku, who first raised concerns in early April and subsequently filed a Right to Information request seeking details of the vessel’s clearance.

In response, the Authority said it had already indicated its willingness to appear before Parliament to address the matter, but expressed concern that the MP had continued to discuss the issue publicly rather than pursuing it solely through formal oversight processes.Central to the Authority’s defence is the claim that the vessel in question—MV Sankofa (IMO No. 7395870)—was not registered in Ghana at the time of its interception in Senegal.

According to officials, the ship was originally registered in 1983 under a different name and underwent several re-registrations over the decades. It was formally removed from the Ghana Ship Registry in April 2024 after its owners completed the deregistration process.

The Authority also clarified that a separate vessel previously bearing the same name had been deregistered in 2021, stressing that maritime regulations do not allow two vessels with identical names to appear on the national register at the same time.

The vessel came to the attention of authorities in July 2025, when it was intercepted in Ghana’s territorial waters by the Ghana Navy during routine patrols.It was escorted to Sekondi for inspection after crew members stated it was undergoing sea trials following engine repairs.

Subsequent checks identified a number of regulatory breaches, including failures in record-keeping, violations of maritime labour rules, and evidence of false flagging.

Financial penalties were imposed for these offences. However, investigators found no proof that the vessel had engaged in unauthorised commercial activity within Ghana, which limited the scope of further sanctions.The Authority said the vessel was later released in November 2025 after partial payment of fines, remedial technical work, and the acquisition of provisional registration under the Cameroon flag.

In March 2026, authorities in Senegal contacted Ghana to verify the vessel’s status after it was flagged on suspicion of involvement in drug trafficking.

The Maritime Authority said it confirmed that the ship was not Ghanaian-registered and formally distanced the country from its operations. Senegalese officials subsequently boarded and searched the vessel but reported that no illicit drugs were found.

Documentation on board indicated that the vessel was operating under Cameroonian registration at the time.

The Authority also raised concerns about the handling of sensitive information during the dispute. It is alleged that correspondence between Ghanaian and Senegalese officials—described as restricted—had been made public, potentially undermining cooperation between the two countries.

Officials questioned how such material entered the public domain and warned that the disclosure of security-related communications could damage established protocols governing international law enforcement collaboration.

Mr Awuku has maintained that his actions fall within Parliament’s oversight role and has signalled that he will pursue the matter formally. The case is expected to be examined by the relevant parliamentary committee, where the Authority has reiterated its willingness to provide evidence.