TOR Now Petrol Dump�Core Business Abandoned

The Tema Oil Refinery, which was established some years back to refine crude oil to serve the Ghanaian market, is now a petrol dump and that is official. Information obtained from sources within the refinery indicates that the Bulk Oil Distribution Companies (BDC) have taken over its facilities, where they (BDCs) store imported finished products before releasing them onto the Ghanaian market. The Chronicle established that rent paid by these BDCs is what management is using to run TOR, including the payment of salaries and other administrative expenses. This is contrary to the purpose for which the Refinery was set up, but management has no option than to go in for the deal. Meanwhile, TOR has declared its preparedness to intervene in ending the shortage of petroleum products, which has currently plunged the country into a state of confusion. The company has, consequently, asked the government to do whatever it takes to assist the refinery to get Letters of Credit (LC) to bring down crude oil for refining. TOR has not been able to obtain crude oil to refine for onward distribution to oil marketing companies in the country for the past five months. This has become a source of worry to both the Junior and senior staff of the company, who believe that with a little support from the government, they could help end the shortage of petroleum products in the country. The TOR Union executives are unhappy with the turn of events in the running of the Refinery. According to them, TOR is not being supplied with crude oil to enable it operates properly. They have, therefore, called on government to do whatever it takes to ensure that the Refinery is made to work for the benefit of Ghanaians. Speaking in a telephone interview with The Chronicle, Mrs. Aba Lokko, Public Affairs Manager of TOR, said her outfit had no hand in whatever is happening in the sector, leading to the shortage of petroleum products in the country. According to her, executive members of both the junior and senior staff unions have petitioned the government to assist the refinery raise LCs to get crude oil for refinery, here in the country. When contacted on phone at the time of going to press, the executive members of the TOR workers union said they were in a meeting with the Energy Minister and, therefore, can only comment after the meeting.