Drags Ghana Maritime Authority While hiding from EOCO
TNR Files
Former National Lottery Authority (NLA) boss and current Akuapem North MP Sammy Awuku is putting on a grand show on social media, but insiders say it’s nothing more than a desperate attempt to distract from the corruption storm brewing around his tenure at the NLA.
With speculation intensifying that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) may soon summon him over allegations of siphoning millions through front organisations, Awuku has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the Mahama administration’s regulatory agencies a move political observers describe as a calculated pre-emptive strategy to manufacture public sympathy.
The MP’s latest target is the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) over the MV Sankofa vessel controversy. But his handling of the matter has raised eyebrows, revealing what sources describe as a pattern of theatrical indignation rather than genuine oversight.
First, he claimed he would take the issue to the floor of Parliament. When it came time for substantive legislative work, he backtracked completely.
Then, he filed a Right to Information (RTI) request, withdrew it, filed it again, received comprehensive official responses, and after nearly two months ran back to Facebook acting like he had been given nothing!
“Why the games?” asked a source familiar with the matter. “Because he knows actual parliamentary debate requires real evidence, but Facebook posts only require sensational headlines to mislead people.”
The MP is screaming about “unexplained waivers” and penalty differences to make routine regulatory work look like a cover-up. But anyone who knows basic law or regulation enforcement understands that initial fines get audited and reconciled based on actual proof.
Setting up payment plans and signed undertakings to ensure money is paid isn’t a “secret deal” it’s standard enforcement.
Awuku has also questioned “who authorized the ship to leave?”, implying Ghana could have impounded foreign property indefinitely. But maritime law experts point out that once a ship signs legal undertakings, agrees to payment terms, and meets regulatory requirements, no authority can hold it without breaching international law.
What happened after the ship left was international maritime identity theft on the high seas a criminal act that Ghanaian authorities could not have prevented through domestic detention.
“Turning routine administrative work into a movie script is top-tier dishonesty,” a maritime expert told The New Republic.
The timing of Awuku’s public crusades has not gone unnoticed. As has become a familiar pattern, former officials of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) increasingly use subterfuge to repel investigations by state institutions into their past records in office.
During his tenure as NLA Director-General, Awuku is alleged to have:
· Siphoned funds through front organisations under the guise of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
· Used NLA resources to buy loyalty from leading members of the then-opposition NDC, anticipating protection should political power change
“Sammy used NLA funds to buy protection,” a source close to the investigations revealed. “He knew that if the NDC came to power, he would need friends in high places to shield him.”
Interestingly, EOCO has yet to formally invite Awuku nearly two years into the new administration. Sources suggest that some of the opposition figures he cultivated while at the NLA are now returning the favour shielding him from the full weight of investigation.
But it is Awuku’s new strategy that is becoming the focal point: smearing state institutions to manufacture public sympathy in anticipation of arrest.
“Once again, Sammi Awuku is on social media putting on a grand show, pretending to be a crusader for truth,” said a political analyst who spoke to The New Republic on condition of anonymity. “But if you look closely at his track record on this MV Sankofa matter, it’s nothing more than pure political drama, flip-flopping, and calculated smear tactics.”
The MP got all the facts under RTI by his own admission. He has received comprehensive official responses. Yet he continues to recycle answered questions not because he lacks information, but because real facts don’t bring Facebook engagement.
“It’s pure extortionist politics and social media noise,” the source added. “Don’t let bad-faith politicians turn maritime security operations into a political circus.”
Awuku’s approach fits a broader pattern: former NPP officials, facing the prospect of accountability for actions taken while in office, are increasingly turning to public campaigns to discredit the very institutions tasked with investigating them.
By portraying themselves as victims of political persecution, they hope to rally public sympathy and pressure the government to back down. But sources close to the investigations suggest that such tactics will not deter EOCO from pursuing its mandate.
“The net is closing,” a source at EOCO told The New Republic. “No amount of Facebook theatrics will change that.”
Insiders say Awuku’s frantic social media activity is a sign of desperation. The MP, who once boasted of his influence and connections, now finds himself in a precarious positions
“He knows EOCO is coming,” a source said. “He’s trying to create a narrative that he’s being targeted for political reasons. But the evidence against him is substantial.”
Awuku has previously warned President Mahama against falling for what he described as a “trap” to extend his stay in office. Now, it appears the MP himself may be setting traps of a different kind manufacturing controversies to position himself as a victim of political persecution.
For now, Awuku continues his social media offensive, insisting he has been transparent while accusing regulators of cover-ups. But those familiar with the investigations suggest his public posturing is a sign of desperation a man who knows the net is closing and is trying to shape the narrative before it does.
The New Republic has a proud tradition of holding public officials accountable. The paper has previously exposed corruption and asset concealment by public officers and continues to push the agenda for transparency.
This newspaper does not offer these findings as a determination of guilt or innocence, but as a matter of public interest and accountability. Sammy Awuku has been given the opportunity to respond through his public statements, which are presented here in full.
The investigation is ongoing. The New Republic will continue to follow developments, including any formal invitations from EOCO to the former NLA boss.