Senior aide to NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has challenged the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) to explain the status of its Vessel Traffic Management Information System (VTMIS), insisting that a prolonged breakdown of the system is creating gaps in the monitoring of Ghana’s waters.

Mr Aboagye made the claims in a Facebook post on Thursday, September 24, after the GMA rejected his earlier assertion that its vessel surveillance system had been down for months and that vessels operating in Ghanaian waters were going largely unmonitored.

The GMA, in a statement issued on September 22 and published by the Information Services Department on September 23, described the claims as “false” and “misleading”, insisting that its surveillance system remains operational and that it maintains 24-hour surveillance and monitoring of vessels in Ghana’s maritime domain.

But Mr Aboagye has doubled down on his allegation, arguing that the GMA's response fails to address what he says is the actual condition of the VTMIS.

“The GMA’s Vessel Traffic Management Information system (VTMIS) which provides comprehensive view and systems for the monitoring and surveillance of Ghanaian waters has been down for months,” he wrote.

He alleged that the Authority had consequently resorted to a satellite-based system he identified as Skylight, which, in his view, does not provide the same continuous surveillance capabilities as the VTMIS.

Mr Aboagye argued that the VTMIS was designed as a key component of Ghana's maritime domain awareness infrastructure, combining technologies including radar, Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) and CCTV to monitor vessel movements.

The GMA's own official information confirms that the VTMIS was inaugurated in 2014 to provide 24-hour surveillance of maritime activities. It currently describes the system as comprising 11 remote sensor sites, four data and control centres and 10 monitoring stations, with functions including detecting illegal maritime activities, supporting search-and-rescue operations, preventing vessel collisions and verifying compliance with international maritime regulations.

The Authority also identifies the VTMIS as one of the principal tools through which it fulfils its role as Ghana's coordinator of maritime domain awareness.

Mr Aboagye, however, alleged that several coastal surveillance installations are currently not functioning, specifically mentioning Ada, Winneba, Axim, Keta and Half Assini, and claimed that the associated CCTV cameras were also not operational.

He argued that a fully functioning surveillance network would enable authorities to identify suspicious or unseaworthy vessels, communicate with them through VHF and, where necessary, alert the Ghana Navy or port-state control inspectors.

Mr Aboagye also linked his concerns about the alleged surveillance gaps to the movement of cocaine through Ghana's maritime space.

He argued that limitations in vessel detection could create opportunities for smaller boats carrying illicit consignments to approach larger vessels at sea without being detected.

According to him, such a scenario could allow drugs to be transferred between vessels outside port limits, particularly if smaller craft cannot be continuously detected.

He also referred to the MV Sankofa case, suggesting that shortcomings in real-time vessel tracking could explain why the vessel was allegedly not subjected to appropriate scrutiny.

The GMA's response, however, does not accept that Ghana's waters are being monitored “blindly”. The Authority says its maritime domain awareness tools remain operational and are used to track vessels, verify their identities and assess compliance with applicable requirements. It also says its surveillance functions extend to protecting offshore oil and gas facilities, pipelines and submarine cables.

He is demanding clarification on what has happened to the system, why it has allegedly not been installed and when it will become operational.

The GMA itself disclosed in March 2026 that it expected to operationalise a new VTMIS by June 2026, describing the planned system as one that would use 20 to 30 long-range cameras mounted along Ghana's coast to provide broader surveillance coverage.

That earlier disclosure provides context for Mr Aboagye's demand for an update on the status and deployment of the new system.

The GMA has meanwhile maintained that its maritime surveillance operations are active and that vessels within Ghana's maritime domain are continuously monitored.

“The country awaits clarity and timelines on fixing this huge security gap on our waters,” he said.