The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and the Ghana Navy have intercepted and burned wooden boats used in illegal fuel smuggling along Ghana’s coastline in Sekondi-Takoradi, in a joint enforcement operation targeting the illicit petroleum trade.
The task force, operating through the Navy’s Western Naval Command (WNC), impounded several locally fabricated wooden vessels suspected of ferrying unaccounted petroleum products through coastal channels. NPA Chief Executive Officer Mr. Godwin Kudzo Tameklo personally supervised the burning of one of the seized boats on Saturday, signalling a sharper enforcement posture from the regulatory authority.
“Enough is enough,” Tameklo declared, referencing the persistence of illegal fuel operations in coastal communities.
He described the economic consequences of the illicit trade as severe, arguing that such activities erode national revenue mobilisation and distort regulatory oversight across the downstream petroleum sector. He characterised the practice as unethical and called for sustained enforcement to protect sector integrity.
The WNC, which led the operational component of the exercise, reaffirmed its commitment to continued inter agency coordination with the NPA. Flag Officer Commanding, Commodore Samuel Ayelazono, said the command remains focused on addressing maritime related fuel smuggling and other unlawful activities along the coastline.
Both agencies framed the operation as part of a broader compliance drive targeting revenue leakages linked to illegal fuel distribution networks operating within coastal and maritime jurisdictions. Authorities confirmed that enforcement actions will intensify as the NPA deepens collaboration with security partners to strengthen sector monitoring.
