NPA, Navy intensify crackdown on illegal fuel trade
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mr Godwin Edudzi Kudzo Tameklo, has commended the Eastern Naval Command of the Ghana Navy for the seizure and destruction of 10 boats used in illegal petroleum activities along the country’s coastline. The commendation followed a visit by officials of the NPA, led by the … The post NPA, Navy intensify crackdown on illegal fuel trade appeared first on Ghanaian Times.
Black News 
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mr Godwin Edudzi Kudzo Tameklo, has commended the Eastern Naval Command of the Ghana Navy for the seizure and destruction of 10 boats used in illegal petroleum activities along the country’s coastline.
The commendation followed a visit by officials of the NPA, led by the CEO, to the Eastern Naval Command to strengthen collaboration in the fight against illicit petroleum activities in Ghana.
Prior to the visit, the delegation undertook a similar exercise at the Sekondi Naval Base in the Western Region.
At a meeting held on Tuesday at the Eastern Naval Base, Mr Tameklo stated that the authority had been working closely with the Navy and other security agencies to curb illegal petroleum operations on Ghana’s water bodies.
He said the activities posed a serious threat to consumer protection, as adulterated and contaminated petroleum products could easily find their way onto the market.
Mr Tameklo further indicated that the illegal trade also caused significant revenue losses to the state, making it necessary for the authority to intensify its operations against offenders.
He praised the Eastern and Western Naval Commands for their continuous support in carrying out arrests, seizures and destruction exercises.
The NPA CEO noted that the destruction of the boats alone served as a strong deterrent, given the huge financial investment required to construct them.
He stressed that the NPA would not relent in its efforts and warned perpetrators that the authority, together with the Navy, would continue to track down and destroy boats and petroleum products used for illegal activities.
The Flag Officer Commanding of the Eastern Naval Command of the Ghana Navy, Commodore Solomon Asiedy Larbi, expressed appreciation to the NPA for its collaboration in the fight against illegal petroleum activities along Ghana’s coast.
He explained that without the support of the NPA, the Navy would not have been able to undertake some of the operations that led to the seizure and destruction of the boats.
Commodore Larbi warned that if the illegal activities were allowed to continue, the same routes could be used to smuggle weapons, drugs and other dangerous items into the country.
He, therefore, stressed that the Navy would continue to intensify surveillance and operations in order to ensure that the country’s coastline remained secure.
The Deputy Command Operations Officer of the Eastern Naval Command, Lieutenant Dr Dorothy Osei Anaso, outlined several operations undertaken by the Navy this year to curb illegal bunkering and related crimes on Ghana’s waters.
She said that between January 12 and 14, 2026, an intelligence-led operation involving the Eastern Naval Command, Naval Training Command and the Special Boat Squadron led to the seizure of seven dendes, an outboard motor, four gallons and 383 drums of suspected crude oil.
Lt Dr Anaso further disclosed that another operation conducted on March 11, 2026, at the fishing harbour resulted in the seizure of a dende and eight 1,000-litre containers of suspected crude oil, while an anti-narcotics exercise on March 27 also led to the seizure of seven gallons of fuel and a canoe.
She said all suspected crude oil seized during the operations had been handed over to the NPA for investigations and further action.
FROM JACOB AGGREY, TEMA
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The post NPA, Navy intensify crackdown on illegal fuel trade appeared first on Ghanaian Times.
