A giant oil company in Dubai is said to be poaching high profile staff of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), a Ghanaian Times investigation reveals.

It is believed that about 50 of the staff mostly in the Engineering and Technicians departments have already been to Dubai and back for interview.

They are said to be using either their off days or leave periods to embark on the all-expenses-paid trip. Some of them have received their visas and are only waiting for their appointment letters to enable them to leave.

Some of the basic requirements are for the applicant to possess a TOR identity card, a confirmation of the number of years working years and curriculum vitae.

This development is creating a lot of anxiety at TOR and the fear now is that the refinery would pay dearly for the loss of many of its experienced hands, a number of members of staff who spoke with the Ghanaian Times said.

They said the refinery had been in an unstable situation for some time now; hence, the decision by some of them to take advantage of the opportunity to go to Dubai. They recalled that about four years ago, a similar opportunity came up in Oman and Qatar which many of the staff took advantage of and have not regretted and blamed the exodus on low salaries.

The Ghanaian Times newspaper learnt that management is yet to give approval for new salaries which have been negotiated, resulting in low morale among the workers. Besides, a number of workers at the various depots in Buipe, Takoradi and Afram Plains, have been laid off.

Meanwhile, management and the workers union are due to meet this week to discuss issues relating to salaries.