Government plans to restart crude oil refining operations at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) by end of this year, as part of efforts to cut the nation’s annual US$10.2billion oil import bill and conserve foreign exchange while stabilising local fuel prices.
The Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Energy (CEMSE) has called for a pragmatic, partnership-driven approach to reviving the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), emphasising that a tolling agreement, rather than an outright sale, offers the most sustainable path to restoring the refinery’s operational and financial viability.
The Sentuo Group says it is investing $980 million in a two million metric ton per annum capacity oil refinery in Tema, with plans for a second phase to increase the capacity by an additional three million metric tons per annum.
The challenges posed by Ghana’s heavy dependence on oil importation are well-documented, with the
country currently importing 97% of its petroleum products.
John Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has vowed to revitalize the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) if he is elected president in the upcoming December 7, 2024, general elections.
The Institute for Energy Policies and Research (INSTEPR) in consultation with other civil society organizations and industry experts will organise a forum to engage the government to find a lasting solution to the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) problem.