Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, Energy Minister, has unveiled government’s plans to make the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) one of the premium refineries in the West Africa sub-region.

Dr Prempeh indicated that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government would offer support to TOR in the form of strategic partnership with the aim of making the refinery operate at its fullest potentials.

Dr Prempeh stated during his first familiarization visit and interaction with staff and management of the refinery at Tema.

TOR, established in 1963 is Ghana’s only refinery, which refines crude oil into various petroleum products including Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), gasoline (petrol), kerosene, gas oil (diesel), aviation turban kerosene, and premix among others.

Dr Prempeh emphasized that TOR would not be disintegrated or go through divestiture under the current government as it remained a very important asset on the list of the Energy Ministry.

He noted that to achieve its aims, workers and management of TOR must work together in unity to turn the fortunes of the refinery around.

He assured the workers that the Ministry would ensure that regulations by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) did not adversely affect the refinery but rather assisted it to achieve its set goals and objectives.

Mr Francis A. T. Boateng, TOR Managing Director, expressed gratitude to the Minister for choosing the refinery as the first institution to visit after assumption of office as the sector minister.

He described it as an honour and privilege as it emphasized the Minister’s commitment to help bring TOR back to life, a promise he gave during his vetting.

Mr Boateng said the completion and commission of the second furnace of the refinery which exploded in January 2017 would return TOR to its original capacity of 45,000 barrels per stream day which will double its revenue generation potential.

He thanked the Minister for the immeasurable role he played when he was a minister-designate when he ensured that funds were made available to TOR for the purpose of completion and commissioning the furnace to replace the exploded one.