Ghana Maritime Authority Undertakes Simulation Exercise

The National Maritime Security Committee (NMSC) of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has carried out a simulation exercise in Ghana's territorial waters to test the committee's preparedness to combat maritime crime.

The simulation exercise, which involves the illegal bunkering of oil on the seas, is designed to test the system and the various cells of the NMSC to determine its ability to deal with real situations without casualties.

In an encounter with the press during which the NMSC were debriefed on the exercise, the Director of the Exercise, Commodore (Rtd) Steven Darbo, observed that maritime security in Ghanaian waters was assured, making Ghanaian waters safe for international trade.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the Naval Base,

Tema, Commodore (Rtd) Darbo observed that maritime crime was rampant in other countries, but took place once-a-while in Ghana "and even that, we respond drastically which makes our waters very secured.'

As part of the debrief, Commodore (Rtd) Darbo said the NMSC conducted a crime response training which involved bunkering of oil, an activity which took place all the time but could be illegal.

He said the committee sent a patrol aircraft and on their return, the crew saw two vessels tied alongside and bunkering oil, 'So they alerted the team and we assembled our assets which included the Ghana Navy, Marine Police, Tema Port Security, Immigration Officers, etc. and we activated our standing operational platform.'

He said the committee went to sea and investigated, and during the process, there was fire on board so they alerted the National Disaster

Management Organization (NADMO), and Fire Service from the Tema Port were sent in to control the fire.

He said the exercise also involved an oil spillage, 'So Tema Port was called in and experts arrived to clean the waters, and in the long run some of the personnel got injured with one dying, and were sent to the hospital.'

As part of the exercise, 'One of the vessels attempted an escape but was pursued and arrested, and the vessel will be prosecuted,' he informed.

Recounting the success of the Four-Day operation, Commodore (Rtd) Darbo hinted on the need for the frequency of such exercises and the need to provide adequate equipment to the committee for it to better deal with crime in Ghana's territorial waters.