The MD of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Edmond Kombat, has indicated that they intend to commence refinery operations in October 2025.
He made this statement when TOR officials appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Energy to brief the Committee on their mandate, work plans for the year 2025, and operational challenges.
In his opening address, the Chairman of the Committee and MP for Ho West, Hon Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, indicated that the engagement forms part of the Committee’s oversight responsibility of the agencies under the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition.
The MD in his presentation indicated that they will continue with the Gantry and Terminal upgrade.
They will also complete ongoing projects commenced by the previous Administration, as well as work on their debt and financial restructuring, as well as retooling of their laboratory.
The MD made a special appeal to the Committee to help them resolve some of their challenges. They include restructuring of their debts with the ESLA receivables, converting GOG debts into equity, reinstating the TOR portion of the ESLA Levy, allowing TOR to participate in the primary distribution margin, and giving TOR a representation on the Laycan Committee, among others.
In related development, the Parliamentary Committee on Energy has concluded its engagement with agencies under the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition.
The last agency to appear before the Committee was the Ghana Gas Company. They presented their work plan for 2025 and outlined some key strategic initiatives the Company was embarking on.
High indebtedness, challenges in funding key gas Infrastructure and projects, tariffs not being cost-reflective, as well as a lack of institutional clarity and alignment were some of their challenges.
The Chairman of the Committee and MP for Ho West, Hon Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, in his closing remarks, indicated that the Committee was satisfied with the engagements and the revelations so far provided by the agencies.
He noted that while some of the agencies need funding, others need changes and amendments to their laws to enable them to achieve their mandate.