Accra, June 14, GNA 96 The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) on Wednesday announced that the distribution of gas oil in the country had been "badly affected" resulting in shortages in some parts of the country but said measures had been put in place to restore supplies to normalcy. In a statement issued in Accra, TOR said the receding level of the Volta Lake had made it impossible to freight petroleum products to the Buipe Depot rendering the Depot which supplied the Northern Sector of the country inactive.

It said the expansion works at Accra Plains Depot by BOST, which was expected to be completed by the end of the month, had also reduced the loading days from six days a week to three days.

"Consequently, it is only the refinery gantry which delivers petroleum products to the whole country, thereby putting it under enormous pressure."

The statement said the Management had extended the loading days and time at the refinery and Takoradi Depot. The Takoradi Depot currently worked from Monday through Saturday, he said.

It said the contractor working at the Accra Plains Depot had been asked to suspend the ongoing works for a week to enable a full week delivery from the Depot.

"The Management of Tema Oil Refinery believes that the above measures will help to maintain adequate supplies of gas oil to the market till the end of the month when the said Depot returns to full activity with expanded capacity."

TOR said the situation was 93under control=94 and would return to normalcy shortly.