President Mahama has announced a major shake-up at the Tema Oil Refinery, promising to remove political interference for good.
The move comes as the state-owned facility processes local crude for the first time in years.
Speaking at a ceremony to mark the historic refining of the country’s Jubilee crude on Saturday, August 1, the President laid out a vision that goes far beyond simple repairs.
The restructuring, he said, is designed to create institutional safeguards that prevent political appointees from interfering in technical and commercial decisions.
The government’s ambition is tangible: a directive has been issued to increase output from 45,000 to 100,000 barrels per day, transforming TOR from a struggling entity into a regional powerhouse.
This expansion is central to Accra’s goal of reducing reliance on costly fuel imports and becoming the go-to refining hub for West Africa.
President Mahama drew a direct line between local refining capacity and national security, pointing to the recent Iran conflict as a case study.
“Because of the role that TOR and Sentuo have played, Ghanaians have hardly felt the effects,” he noted, underscoring the strategic necessity of a robust domestic refinery.
Beyond the barrels and metrics, the President framed the revival as an industrial imperative.
“Restoring TOR is not just about bringing the refinery back to life,” he said.
“It is about strengthening Ghana’s industrial base and driving sustainable economic growth.”
