By Desmond Cudjoe, Sekondi
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA), has destroyed a seized wooden fuel boat at the Sekondi Naval Base in the Western Region as part of intensified efforts to crack down on illegal fuel bunkering and untaxed petroleum trade along Ghana’s coast.
The dramatic exercise, witnessed by security personnel and the media, forms part of a broader operation targeting illicit maritime fuel trade along Ghana’s coast. Seven additional impounded vessels are also expected to be destroyed.
Addressing journalists before the vessel was set ablaze, Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority, Mr. Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, said the action became necessary after repeated warnings and engagements with operators failed to stop the illegal activities.
According to him, the NPA, working together with the Ghana Navy and the Ghana Police Service, had earlier engaged operators at the naval base last year, but many continued to operate outside the law.
“Every litre of legitimate petroleum is marked under our fuel marking scheme to ensure quality assurance and proper taxation,” Mr. Tameklo stated. “Illegal fuel products bypass this system, posing serious risks to consumers and the petroleum market.”
He explained that the public destruction of the vessel was intended to serve as a strong deterrent to others engaged in the illicit trade.
The locally modified boats, known as dendes, are fitted with pumping systems used to receive petroleum products from larger vessels anchored offshore.
Authorities say each boat can carry between 70,000 and 80,000 litres of fuel, equivalent to about two to three fuel tanker trucks
Despite costing nearly GH¢100,000 to construct, the vessels operate outside Ghana’s tax and safety regulations
The NPA says fuel smuggled through such channels is often sold to some filling stations, where it is mixed with legally acquired petroleum products before being sold to unsuspecting consumers.
Officials warn that the unregulated fuel may not meet required safety and quality standards, thereby posing risks to vehicles, machinery and the environment.
Beyond safety concerns, the Authority noted that the practice deprives the state of significant tax revenue. According to the NPA, five dende boats can transport untaxed fuel volumes equivalent to the load of ten bulk road vehicles.
Mr. Tameklo stressed that the NPA and its security partners would continue surveillance and enforcement operations along the country’s coastal routes.
“This is zero tolerance,” he declared. “The days of moving untaxed and adulterated fuel by sea are over.”
The NPA is also urging licensed fuel station operators to verify the sources of petroleum products they purchase, while encouraging the public to report suspected illegal bunkering activities to the security agencies.
