NPA boss tasks TOR management to revive operations fully

The management of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has been tasked to ensure that the refinery is fully operational to refine crude oil for the local market.

This would help reduce the importation of refined oil and consequently ease the pressure on the cedi.

Also, being among the best refineries in Africa, operating efficiently would support the country's economic growth and investment initiatives.

The acting Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Kudzo Tameklo,  made the call when he visited the refinery as part of his working visit to fuel installations in the country to apprise himself of their operations.

He said it was important for TOR to be fully operational to further enhance the country’s status in the oil and gas industry, not just as an oil-producing country.

The acting Managing Director of TOR, Dr Yusif Sulemana, who led the management team to welcome Mr Tameklo and his team, gave the assurance that they would ensure the revamping of TOR to perform its core function of the crude oil refinery.

Tour

The visits are to give the NPA boss first-hand information about the ongoing work, prospects and challenges with the view to offering the needed regulatory support and direction.

He was accompanied by the Deputy Chief Executive, Dr Sheila Addo, and the management staff of the authority.

Apart from TOR, Mr Tameklo and his entourage also visited the Ghana Petroleum Mooring Systems Limited (GPMS), the Ghana Bunkering Services Limited and the Sentuo Oil Refinery Company Limited.

At the GPMS, the team was taken offshore and briefed on how fuel vessels are berthed and how the fuel is discharged through pipes to terminals.

The tour of the Ghana Bunkering Services Limited saw Mr Tameklo and his entourage taken through the process of discharging fuel into tankers for onward distribution to oil marketing companies.

Sentuo

After he toured the Sentuo facility, the NPA boss affirmed the commitment of the authority to support Sentuo in completing the second phase of its project.

The second phase is to rump up Sentuo’s refinery from 40,000 barrels per day to 100,000 barrels per day.

Mr Tameklo urged the management of Sentuo to engage more Ghanaians, especially petrochemical engineering students and others from the other technical departments, to allow for technology transfer, stressing that it was comparatively cheaper than hiring the services of expatriates.

The NPA boss welcomed the proposal by the Sentuo management to start loading fuel at night in line with the 24-Hour Economy policy of the government.

He said the NPA’s technical inspectors would follow up on the request and advise accordingly.