MV "Osama Bin Laden"

Officials at the Ministry of Energy are trying to come to terms with the disappearance of an oil storage vessel from the Saltpond Oil Fields last Friday.

The vessel, Asterias, (nicknamed: MV Osama Bin Laden) was carrying nearly 74,000 barrels of oil worth $2 million.

Government officials have refused to comment on the disappearance of the vessel. Officials of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation are reported to have sent an emergency call that the vessel had disengaged and was sailing away.

But the ship with its Russian crew made away before it could be stopped by the Ghana Navy. A statement from the Information Ministry said Interpol has been informed and investigations have begun to locate the vessel. The oil well at the Saltpond Oilfields is a joint venture between the GNPC and Lushann Eternit, a Nigerian company.

Meanwhile, the minority in Parliament has called for a full and thorough investigation into circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the ship.

A statement issued by the Minority group said the loss of such a colossal amount of crude oil at a time when Ghanaians have been called upon to pay outrageously high price for petroleum products is unpardonable.
The group also wondered why security agencies such as the Ghana Air force and Navy were not informed in time about the disappearance of the ship, to enable them track the ship.
The minority referred to the mid 70s when allegations were rife about the loss of a ship load of cocoa on the high seas and called for urgent steps to be taken to find the ship and its cargo as well as the persons involved in its disappearance.