The Executive Director of Blue Economy and Governance Consult, Mr. Richter Nii Armah Amarfio, has called for strong collaboration among West African countries to address the growing threat of maritime piracy in the region.
Speaking on AtinkaTV’s Ghana Nie show hosted by Ama Gyenfa Ofosu Dakwah, Mr. Amarfio said piracy in international waters is a regional problem that cannot be handled by one country alone.
Drawing from personal experience as a shipping company operator, he revealed that pirates have previously hijacked his vessel. He also negotiated the release of a friend’s crew after their vessel was hijacked last year.
He disclosed that some of his company’s vessels are currently facing court issues following recent pirate attacks in Gabon, forcing the company to withdraw ships out of fear for crew safety.
Although some naval protection exists, Mr. Amarfio said it is not enough to cover all vessels. He explained that pirates often launch attacks from Nigeria and take kidnapped crew members to hideouts in the Niger Delta, where they are held until heavy ransoms are paid.
“They demand a lot of money and make you drop it before releasing your people,” he said, adding that victims can spend over 40 days in captivity.
Mr. Amarfio described negotiating with pirates as traumatic and stressful, stressing that the experience leaves lasting emotional scars.
He urged West African states to work together through joint security efforts and intelligence sharing to end piracy and protect lives and maritime trade in the sub-region.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com|Ebenezer Madugu