...Prof Ocquaye bashes runaway engineers Tema, Sept. 26, GNA - Professor Mike Ocquaye, Minister of Energy, on Monday reiterated the call on Ghanaians to be patriotic, and learn to die a little for the development of our dear nation.

He said, it was regrettable to see certain Ghanaians making the exodus elsewhere to seek for greener pastures at the time when they could have sacrificed and stayed behind with the rest so that in a collective manner, lasting solutions could be found to most of the numerous problems facing the country.

Prof. Ocquaye made the call when he briefed the press in a meeting he held with Management of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) in Tema concerning the brain drain that had hit the Company.

He told newsmen that as at today, 14 senior staff of TOR had resigned from the company and joined the bandwagon to the Club world in search of greener pastures.

The Energy Minister explained that the exodus had become necessary because certain refineries in the Middle East were paying 2,700 dollars a month to their workers, whilst their TOR counterparts were taking 900 dollars at the end of the month.

Prof. Ocquaye said even though the exodus situation at TOR was most unfortunate, everything possible was being done by Management to stem the tide.

He pointed out that the situation was not beyond the control of his Ministry, and that in the light of present circumstances, Management had been tasked to ensure that workers' service conditions were improved. "As a medium term measure of plan, the Board has given Management all reasonable powers to stem the tide by improving the Collective Bargaining Agreement of the Company, to help resolve issue in the best interest of all."

The Energy Minister used the occasion to appeal to workers in the middle level bracket to always give their employers "requisite notice" before resigning so that adequate measures could be puts in place to replace them.

Asked what sanctions would be meted out to staff of TOR who had abandoned their posts, Prof. Ocquaye said the immediate concern of Management was how to replace them.

He assured Ghanaians that the problem at the company was being looked at in a holistic manner, in order to come out with a lasting solution for TOR, not only to produce and compete in a better way, but to also pay better remuneration to its employees.

Dr Kofi Koduah Sarpong, Managing Director of TOR assured workers of Management's determination to improve conditions at the refinery to motivate them to give of their best.

Prof Ocquaye bashes runaway engineers

JoyOnline -- Energy minister has described the exodus of Engineers at the Tema Oil refinery for greener pastures in the Middle East as illegal.

Professor Mike Ocquaye says although the ministry and the refinery is recruiting and training personnel to replace those who have left, their action is un-patriotic.

The minister was speaking after a tour of the refinery today to ascertain the situation there.

The minister says it was regrettable that personnel at TOR should seeker better conditions abroad because they are amongst the few well-paid workers in the public sector.

The catalytic plant, which produces petrol and LPG for the refinery, was shut down on Friday for what officials described as routine maintenance.

However details emerging about the exodus of the engineers suggest that personnel shortfall partly accounts for the shut down.