The General Transport, Petroleum, and Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU) of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) has criticized President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's promise to revamp the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) as empty rhetoric. The President, during the commissioning of the Sentuo Oil Refinery located near TOR, had assured Ghanaians of the government's commitment to revitalizing the struggling state oil refinery.
Mr. Bernard Owusu, the National Chairman of the GTPCWU, expressed scepticism in an interview with the Ghana News Agency. He questioned the sincerity of the President's promise, highlighting the fact that the President had not visited TOR during his eight years in office. Mr Owusu emphasized that the President's remarks were merely rhetorical and lacked substance.
He also raised concerns about the inclusion of Sentuo, a private investment, under the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative. According to Mr Owusu, the government could have used the same initiative to address the operational challenges of TOR rather than opening a private refinery in close proximity.
Addressing the potential impact of Sentuo on TOR's viability, Mr Owusu suggested that competition could be beneficial, but the government should prioritize resolving TOR's issues to enhance its competitiveness. He reiterated the union's hope that the government would take decisive action to put TOR in a better position.
The Tema Oil Refinery, operational since September 1963, has been facing various operational challenges, and the recent commissioning of Sentuo Oil Refinery has sparked discussions about the future of TOR in the competitive landscape. Sentuo, with a capacity of 100,000 barrels per day in its fully completed phase, is expected to produce 40,000 barrels of refined products per day in its initial phase.