President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to restructure the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) to permanently remove political interference from its operations.
The President said the move formed part of the government's efforts to strengthen Ghana's petroleum industry and expand local refining capacity.
President Mahama made the announcement at a ceremony at TOR in Tema on Saturday, August 1, 2026, to mark the receipt and processing of the first shipment of Ghana's Jubilee crude oil at the state-owned refinery.
"We will also restructure the Tema Oil Refinery in order that we permanently eliminate political interference in its work," he said.
He also directed the Minister of Energy and Green Transition to work with the TOR Board and management to prepare a strategic plan to increase the refinery's processing capacity from 45,000 barrels a day to 100,000 barrels a day.
President Mahama said the planned expansion formed part of the government's vision of positioning Ghana as a petroleum refining and logistics hub for West Africa.
Speaking on the need to strengthen local refining, the President said recent geopolitical developments had demonstrated the value of having domestic refining capacity.
"Because of the role that TOR and Sentuo have played, Ghanaians have hardly felt the effects of the Iran conflict," he said.
President Mahama said the experience showed why Ghana must continue to increase its local refining capacity and reduce its reliance on imported refined petroleum products.
He said the government also wanted the country to derive greater value from its petroleum resources through local processing.
The President added that restoring TOR was not only about bringing the refinery back into operation but also about strengthening Ghana's industrial base and supporting economic growth.
The ceremony marked the receipt and processing of the first shipment of Ghana's Jubilee crude oil at TOR, a milestone in efforts to restore sustained refining operations at the state-owned refinery after years of limited activity.
