Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Energy, has revealed that the Tema Oil Refinery has lost some crude condensate valued at $2.5 million (TOR).
The Minister reveals that while $2.5 million has been missing and is unaccounted for, his organisation managed to obtain a deal for the business in the premix industry.
“I gave TOR a new business opportunity in the premix fuel industry and instructed them to blend premix fuel entirely using the condensate from Ghana Gas. The last I heard, TOR’s condensate had vanished after being valued at over 2.5 million dollars. The government will collapse if we don’t act responsibly if we all want TOR to function and don’t want another ECG in TOR.
“TOR has debt on its books totaling over $500 million; have a look at how it was accrued; people bring their crude to be refined, and then they record crude losses.”
The Minister claimed that although a committee was established and worked for 8 months to rectify TOR losses, no progress was made.
“You don’t pay taxes to have them wasted. Taxes are paid so that the government can function effectively. I can assure you that the government is working very hard to make TOR effective. The TOR, SIGA, Attorney General, and Finance Ministry are all looking at proposals that are on the table. We are working on a challenging proposition to get it right. And we’ll work hard to get Ghanaians what they want, said the energy minister.
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His statement comes after workers urged the government to reopen the refinery.
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh responded by stating that the government is making every effort to restore the business.
Meanwhile, Jerry K. Hinson, the Managing Director of the Refinery, is being called out by the employees.
“If people are not doing the right thing, they are supposed to be fired, I’m surprised the CEO is still even in office and the Minister is saying this. If you are a CEO, it is your responsibility to ensure that the place is run efficiently. If it turns out that the duty that they give to you to make money for the refinery and you are not able to do. I think the Minister should fire the MD and dissolve the board. So there is a clear evidence that staff are doing things that are not right. Why are you not going after them, why are you not putting in measures? the private entities are doing it right, why are we not doing it as government entity?” Bernard Owusu Chairman of the General Transport and Chemical Workers Union asked.
The General Transport Petroleum Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU) on Tuesday, April 18 announced its intention to embark on a series of actions in support of its call for the revamping of TOR.
At a press conference at the forecourt of TOR, Mr. Bernard Owusu, National Chairman of GTPCWU, said the industrial action would precede the May Day celebrations.
He added that the workers plan to picket at the Jubilee House, the Ministry of Energy, and other strategic locations after meetings with management and government officials yielded no result.
But the Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery, Jerry K. Hinson, described attempts by some workers of the company to embark on industrial action as unlawful.
In a letter to the workers, Mr Hinson warned that any worker who participates in the illegal strike action or picketing will be dealt with according to the laws.
In the letter to the workers, the TOR MD reminded workers that various procedures to address their challenges and grievances have not been exhausted, hence any attempt to embark on industrial action is unlawful and a breach of the Labour Act.
“Kindly be aware of the illegality of any such actions under clauses 168- 1 71 of the Labour Act and the consequences thereunder for participants/staff involved. Please be aware of section 171 in particular which emphasises the term “picketing” which is only lawful in furtherance of a lawful strike/industrial action.”
“Kindly be advised finally that participation of staff in any illegal action or picketing or indeed any act that purports to disrupt the activities of the Company or possibly undermine the authority of the Shareholder will be subjected to the prescribed ramifications under the relevant laws.”
