The Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), Duncan Amoah, has cautioned that sustained financial backing will be essential to keep the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) operating in the long term.
In an interview, he praised the current management of TOR for successfully restarting operations after years of inactivity, describing the development as a positive sign for Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector.
“We should commend the current management for this achievement. However, it is important that the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana provide the necessary investment support. Without adequate financing for continuous crude supply, TOR may process its current cargo and then be forced to shut down again in the coming months,” he said.
Mr. Amoah stressed that while the resumption of refining activities is encouraging, it must be backed by deliberate efforts to ensure sustainability, particularly through reliable funding for revolving crude oil supplies.
“The restart is good news, but a lot more work still needs to be done to guarantee long-term sustainability,” he added.
The Tema Oil Refinery recently resumed crude oil refining after completing extensive Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) works on its Crude Distillation Unit.
According to TOR, the maintenance, carried out between August 1 and October 30, 2025, was completed on schedule and in line with international engineering, safety, and operational standards.
