The Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), Duncan Amoah, has welcomed the ongoing revitalisation of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), describing the development as a major milestone for Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector after years of operational challenges and inactivity.Ghanaian culture insights
Duncan Amoah said that the successful refurbishment and commissioning of the refinery’s Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) is a great step towards restoring TOR’s capacity to refine petroleum products locally, a move he believes could strengthen the country’s energy security and reduce dependence on imported refined fuel.
Speaking on the Channel One Newsroom after the commissioning ceremony, Duncan Amoah expressed optimism about the direction TOR is taking, noting that the refinery is showing clear signs of returning to productive operations after remaining largely dormant for several years.
“I was in attendance at the event today [August 1] and clearly, something good and useful is happening with our local refinery. Mind you, CSOs had done some visit to TOR a week or two ago where we inspected the new installations that were going on including the crude distillation unit and one of their generating unit was also being brought on so that TOR can actually produce power for itself and even have some surplus to be shared to the grid.
“So it looks to me that for a long time, we are getting some useful stuff happening from the corridors of the refinery and I was even happier when I came across what the minister said. He said the president has instructed them that the crude that has been sent to TOR should not be compelling them to payback in dollars.”
Duncan made the comments after President John Dramani Mahama officially commissioned the refurbished Crude Distillation Unit of the Tema Oil Refinery on Saturday, August 1.
