TOR Workers Threaten To Vote Against NDC In 2012

Workers of the state refinery company, Tema Oil Refinery (TOR),have expressed anger at government�s apparent failure to get Nigeria to supply crude oil to TOR, with some, threatening to vote against the NDC Government in 2012. The workers reiterated accusations that some officials of the Energy Ministry are frustrating efforts to resume fuel production at the refinery in order to continue benefitting from the current importation of finished products to serve the local market. This came up at a durbar held by President John Evans Atta Mills with the TOR staff after holding close door meetings with Management of the Refinery on Thursday October 22. The President lead a powerful government delegation to the Tema Oil Refinery to meet angry workers of the company, after staff of the refinery threatened to lay down their tools. Some of the outraged workers even threatened to vote against the NDC Government in 2012 if the President�s ministers fail to shed their arrogance. "...the last time Mr. Minister came to insult us here as if we are little children. If you want to talk to us, talk to us politely. If you are coming to talk to us as if you are walking on us, we brought you to power. 2012 will come and we will see if you will stay or leave," an angry staff exclaimed. President Mills, at the durbar answered questions from the staff and used the opportunity to address salary issues of staff as well as the importation of crude for the refinery to resume its operations after having been dormant for almost eight months. He assured staff of TOR that allegations that certain Government officials are frustrating the importation of crude from Nigeria will be duly investigated alongside many other allegations leveled against managers of the refinery. According to him, none of the allegations will be wished away. �There are a number of allegations that I hear about TOR, I don�t just wish them away. Every allegation is being investigated�In the oil business there are a lot of charlatans, we will not let anybody get away with any malpractice�It doesn�t matter who the person is, whether high or low, the law must apply to all of us,� he said. Meanwhile, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Boss, Mr. Alex Mould, has in an interview with PEACEFM stated that TOR may not be able to resume fuel production until after mid December, following what officials call technical difficulties with the government to government deal between Ghana and Nigeria.