The Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Edmond Kombat Esq., has revealed that the state refinery inherited a severe financial and operational crisis created under the Akufo-Addo–led New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration. Despite the daunting situation, he says TOR is now firmly on a path to recovery.
Speaking at a capacity-building workshop in Tema on the theme “Leveraging Social Media and AI for Accurate and Effective Energy Reporting: Trends, Tools and Best Practices,” Kombat detailed the extent of deterioration TOR suffered over the past eight years. He noted that upon assuming office in 2025, TOR’s debt had ballooned to $517 million, a sharp contrast to the debt-free status the refinery held in 2017.
A Refinery in Decline
Kombat described TOR as having been left in a state of neglect and decay. For eight years, no major maintenance works were carried out, and several skilled workers abandoned the facility out of frustration and despair.
He further disclosed that TOR owed the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) about $200 million, while staff-related arrears alone amounted to $160 million. Additional burdens—including utility bills, penalties and trade debts—further worsened the refinery’s financial position.
“Salaries were at one point paid only through borrowing,” he lamented.
He attributed the decline to policy reversals under the NPP government, which he said abandoned a structured debt-clearing plan initiated during former President John Mahama’s administration. According to him, this reversal cost TOR the opportunity to fully recover by 2019.
Progress Under New Leadership
Despite the staggering liabilities inherited, Kombat outlined significant progress made since 2025. TOR, he said, has undergone a deep internal transformation driven by discipline, staff engagement, strategic planning and prudent financial management.
Key improvements include:
• Restoration of staff morale through overdue promotions and better internal communication.
• Increased revenue from extended loading hours.
• Renewed confidence from private partners, leading to more product processing and storage.
• Major maintenance works executed without government support.
• Employment of hundreds of young technicians and security personnel.
• Stabilisation of the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) in preparation for full operational restart.
Why TOR Matters
Kombat stressed that TOR remains a critical national asset, capable of refining up to 55,000 barrels per stream day, making it central to Ghana’s domestic fuel security. Beyond its technical relevance, TOR’s revival has significant socio-economic benefits—including direct and indirect job creation and renewed hope among workers who had once given up on the facility.
He urged journalists to prioritise accuracy, ethics and responsible reporting when covering sensitive institutions like TOR, warning that sensational or misleading publications can damage reputations and misinform the public.
Despite the enormous debt and institutional breakdown inherited, Kombat reaffirmed his commitment to fully restoring TOR’s operational capacity, emphasising that the refinery’s revival is essential to Ghana’s broader economic stability.