The Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Mr. Edmond Kombat, has revealed that the refinery intends to resume operations in October 2025. This significant development was announced during TOR’s appearance before the Parliamentary Committee on Energy to present its 2025 work plan and outline existing operational challenges.
The engagement, held as part of the Committee’s oversight responsibility over agencies under the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, was chaired by the Member of Parliament for Ho West, Hon. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah.
In his submission, Mr. Kombat noted that TOR is continuing with the Gantry and Terminal upgrade project. He also indicated that efforts are being made to complete projects that were initiated under the previous administration, alongside a focus on debt restructuring, financial reorganisation, and retooling of the refinery’s laboratory.
The TOR MD used the opportunity to appeal to the Committee to assist in resolving a number of longstanding issues facing the refinery. These include the restructuring of debts related to the Energy Sector Levies Act (ESLA) receivables, converting government debts into equity, and reinstating TOR’s portion of the ESLA Levy. He also requested that TOR be allowed to participate in the primary distribution margin and be granted representation on the Laycan Committee.
In a related development, the Committee concluded its engagement with all the agencies under the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition. The final agency to appear before the Committee was the Ghana Gas Company, which also presented its 2025 work plan and shared details of its strategic initiatives.
Among the key challenges cited by Ghana Gas were high levels of indebtedness, funding constraints for major gas infrastructure and projects, non-cost-reflective tariffs, and issues of institutional clarity and alignment.
In his closing remarks, Committee Chairman Hon. Bedzrah expressed satisfaction with the level of detail and transparency provided by the agencies during the engagements. He emphasised the need for government support in the form of financial resources and, in some cases, legislative reforms to enable the agencies to deliver effectively on their mandates.
Source: Clement Akoloh||parliamentnews360.com
