The Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, has commended the management of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) for revamping crude oil refining operations after years of shutdown.
He particularly praised the Managing Director of TOR, Mr Edmond Kombat, for spearheading the revival process and lauded the management team for providing the needed support.
Mr Tameklo made the remarks during a working visit to TOR on Thursday, where he described the refinery as integral to Ghana’s development and noted that the resumption of refining operations aligns with the vision of President John Dramani Mahama.
He said this informed his decision to collaborate closely with TOR management to ensure the successful revival of operations.
“The President’s vision is to get TOR revived. When you took the decision to revamp, it was a timely call. Your innovation and thought leadership have led to the revival. We collaborated with you to get it done. As regulator, whatever we will do to make it sustainable, we will do,” he assured.
The resumption of operations follows the successful completion of major Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) works on the refinery’s Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), which were carried out over a three-month period from August 1 to October 30, 2025.
In a press statement dated December 27, 2025, TOR indicated that as part of a phased return to full capacity, the refinery was currently operating at approximately 28,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd).
The statement further noted that TOR has completed the installation of a new furnace, F-61, which is expected to be commissioned and integrated into the CDU. The new furnace is projected to restore the refinery’s original nameplate capacity of 45,000 bpsd.
Mr Tameklo said TOR, together with the Sentuo Oil Refinery, has the capacity to supply between 40 and 45 percent of Ghana’s domestic fuel demand.
He explained that his priority for this year and beyond is to ensure that both TOR and Sentuo operate at peak capacity to adequately serve the domestic market, a development he said would help make petroleum prices more affordable.
Welcoming the NPA delegation, Mr Kombat expressed gratitude to Mr Tameklo for the immense support extended to TOR to facilitate its comeback.
He called for continued collaboration with the NPA to position TOR on a path of growth and long-term sustainability.
The NPA delegation, which included Deputy Chief Executives Dr Sheila Addo and Dr Bukari Dramani, as well as directors, heads of department, and other officials, toured the refinery’s plants, fuel storage tanks, and control centre.
