Sekondi (W/R), Feb 15, - Vice
President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has assured the Ghana Navy that, government would
provide the necessary support to curb illegal bunkering on the country’s
territorial waters.
He said if the practice is not
checked, it would adversely affect collection of taxes and avert the country’s
ambition of moving beyond aid, adding; “We need to find ways to deal with it”
Illegal bunkering is an act or
process of unlawfully supplying a ship with fuel without paying the required
taxes on it.
The Vice President said there was
the need to maximise the internal resources to propel economic growth,
therefore, government would implement policies that ensures maximum utilisation
of the maritime resources for the benefit of the country.
Vice President Bawumia gave the
assurance when he interacted with the media after paying a working visit to the
Western Naval Command, at the Sekondi Naval Base of the Western Region, on
Thursday.
The visit afforded him the
opportunity to acquaint himself with the challenges of the Ghana Navy in order
to offer the necessary support.
The Vice President held
closed-door discussions with the top brass of the Navy after the open forum.
Earlier, Commodore Isaac Osei
Kuffuor, the Flag Officer Commanding the Western Naval Command and Two Garrison
Commander, briefed the Vice President on the security situation within the
Command.
He said there was relative calm
within its jurisdiction, noting that, the Navy does regular patrols on the
country's territorial waters, including the oilfields.
He said the Command needed
160,000 litres of fuel per month to ensure effective patrols and operation.
He asked the government to
provide the Navy with more patrol vessels to effectively patrol the country’s
maritime domain.
He appealed to the government to
expedite action on the establishment of the Forward Operational Base at
Enzilebo in the Jomoro District so that Navy personnel could be stationed there
to protect the oilfields and oil installations.
Commodore Kuffuor enumerated
other challenges such as; lack of accommodation for the personnel and other
operational logistics, adding that, the Navy needed more funds to expand some
health facilities constructed for them to ensure efficient delivery of
healthcare.
Meanwhile, the Navy has arrested
nine persons for engaging in illegal bunkering, smuggling and other prohibited
activities.
They were arrested at New
Takoradi, Inchaban and other locations within the jurisdiction of the Western
Naval Command and had since been handed over to the Police for prosecution.
The Navy seized items such as;
specialised canoes, outboard motors and fuel tankers from the suspects.
Vice President Bawumia and his
entourage inspected the seized items.
The Vice President and his
entourage later paid a courtesy call on Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Omanhene of
Essikado Traditional Area at Essikado.
Vice President Bawumia said the
call was intended to seek the blessing of the revered chief.
Nana Nketsia V commended Dr
Bawumia for his humility and encouraged him to continue the good works.
He appealed to the government to
upgrade the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital so that, it could offer quality
healthcare to the people in the Region.
He asked government to upgrade
the main road from Effia-Nkwanta Hospital to Takoradi Township since it plays
an important role in the lives of the people.
He entreated government not to
employ people based on partisanship or ethnicity, but to be fair to all
Ghanaians, in order to foster unity among the populace.
The Vice President was
accompanied by the Western Regional Minister, Dr Kwaku Owusu Afriyie, the
Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Development, Elizabeth Afoley-Quaye, Deputy Minister of Aviation, Kwabena
OKyere-Darko Mensah, a Deputy Minister of Energy, Joseph Cudjoe and the Chief
Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority, Hassan Tampuli.
GNA
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