Hon Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings
Korle Klottey

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to make a Statement on piracy, maritime crime, and maritime domain awareness, and the need to domesticate United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Today, I rise to make a Statement to draw the attention of this august House to the growing threat posed by piracy and maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea, the urgent need to strengthen our maritime domain awareness, and the critical importance of reforming legislature and institutional coordination in protecting Ghana’s territorial waters and strategic interests, including the blue economy. The year 2023 marked a decade since the signing of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct. It is a regional framework developed to prevent and suppress illegal maritime activities in the region, and in general, enhance maritime security in West and Central Africa.
Ghana is part of the sub-region Zone F under this framework, which also includes Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Burkina Faso. Zone F is managed by the Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre (MMCC) with its headquarters located in Accra, precisely, the Christiansborg Castle, Osu, in the Klottey Korle constituency, which I have the honour of representing in this House.
Mr Speaker, despite Ghana’s prominent position, our domestic legislative and institutional framework remain inadequate to match the scale and complexity of the maritime crime threat, which has transnational dimensions to it, and also a direct impact on our national security.
Some of the challenges Ghana faces are as follows: Ghana has still not completely domesticated UNCLOS, the principal international legal framework for maritime governance; the definition of piracy under Section 193 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, (Act 29), is inconsistent with the Article 101 of UNCLOS, which has resulted in our inability to successfully prosecute acts of piracy under our laws; lack of clear regulations and sanctions in place to address issues of crime at anchorage, especially, since Ghana is both a coastal and a port state; Ghana does not currently have a standalone maritime offences law, the absence of which means that prosecuting for piracy and other maritime crimes is hampered by our ability to respond swiftly and effectively, but it also undermines our commitments under international law.
Maritime insecurity arises from: increased transnational organised crime; illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; environmental crimes and environmental degradation; disappearing biodiversity and effects of climate change, to name a few. Some of the maritime crimes include piracy, armed robbery at sea, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, drug trafficking, human trafficking, oil bunkering and smuggling, and this requires harmonised legal responses across various jurisdictions. Without the domestication of UNCLOS and other relevant instruments, Ghana remains vulnerable to these offences and prolonged legal proceedings that benefit perpetrators of crime.
Mr Speaker, piracy and maritime crime have direct and tangible impact on Ghana’s economy and the wellbeing of our citizens. One of the most significant but often overlooked effect is the elevated cost of maritime insurance premiums for vessels traversing the Gulf of Guinea. Because of our maritime corridor, which is considered a high-risk zone, shipping companies are charged higher insurance rates. These costs are ultimately transferred to the Ghanaian consumers in the form of higher prices for imported goods, including food, fuel, machinery and pharmaceuticals.
Mr Speaker, in order words, the insecurity in our waters is quietly taxing every household in Ghana. This means that the cost of living is indirectly inflated, due to our inability to fully secure our maritime domain. If we are serious about improving our economy and protecting our borders, we must equally be serious about maritime security.
Mr Speaker, another area that deserves attention is the disconnect between the Yaoundé Code of Conduct and fishing communities. There is a pressing need for greater inclusion, awareness creation and sensitivity at the grassroots level. Maritime domain awareness must not be limited to the corridors of power or security sector alone. It must extend to coastal communities who are both stakeholders and unfortunately sometimes vulnerable to recruitment by criminal networks. Finally, let us not forget that maritime crimes begin and end on land. The nexus between maritime crime and border transnational threats, including terrorism and organised crime, cannot be ignored. As such, maritime security is not just a naval issue, it is a national security issue.
Mr Speaker, in light of these realities, I would like to recommend some of the urgent strategic actions that this House, courtesy of the Minister of Transport, in collaboration with the relevant ministries, departments or agencies, submits to the House a Bill that will pave the way for the repeal of our current outdated piracy laws and ensure that Ghana is fully compliant with UNCLOS and aligned with regional and global efforts to tackle maritime crime. In the course of my research enquiries about this statement, I have also learned that steps are being taken to that effect and that Cabinet has given approval for the Bill to be laid. I urge the Minister to do so as soon as practical and urge members of the House to support this bill when it comes before the House.
I also urge the Government to consider establishing a fund financed through a portion of port charges to support maritime security enforcement and operations, technological upgrades, community engagement and coastal surveillance infrastructure. Coastal fishing communities should, in collaboration with traditional leaders and coastal communities, be formally integrated into the national maritime security strategy of the country. This can be via training programmes, community-based reporting systems and economic alternatives for vulnerable coastal youth.
Furthermore, I would like to urge the Government to embark on intensive awareness campaigns on the dangers of maritime crime, the importance of legal fishing practices and the economic value of a secure maritime domain.
Finally, to urge the implementation of the National Integrated Maritime Strategy and its implementation plan that were adopted a few years ago. They provide a very good framework for addressing maritime security and ocean governance in general. Mr Speaker, the time has come for Parliament to show leadership in this area. Let us prioritise the necessary legal reforms and work across the aisle to protect Ghana’s economic interests, especially our blue economy, territorial integrity, and the safety of our people.
In conclusion, our maritime domain is not just a frontier; it is a source of trade, energy, nutrition and sovereignty. If we are to secure Ghana’s future, we must secure our maritime domain. Let us demonstrate leadership in this House through legislative reform, oversight and a collective sense of urgency in rising to meet this challenge.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity.