President John Dramani Mahama has described the revival of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) as the restoration of Ghana’s “birthright”, praising the resilience and expertise of Ghanaian engineers who helped prevent the country’s only state-owned refinery from collapsing.
Speaking at the commissioning of refurbished facilities at TOR in Tema on Saturday, President Mahama said the project demonstrated that strategic state-owned enterprises could become efficient and profitable through visionary leadership, effective management and local technical expertise.
The ceremony included the commissioning of the refurbished Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), the Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCC), a new 120-ton steam boiler, the F-61 Crude Heater and other upgraded facilities. It also coincided with the arrival of one million barrels of Ghana’s Jubilee Medium Sweet Crude on board the MT Apache for refining in Ghana.
“Today, we celebrate more than engineering success. We celebrate the resilience of a people who chose to rebuild rather than abandon an institution that continues to hold immense strategic value for our nation,” President Mahama said.
The President recalled that TOR had processed seven million barrels of crude into refined petroleum products before receiving Ghana’s first Jubilee crude cargo in December 2016. He said that milestone reflected the country’s determination to add value to its natural resources.
However, the refinery later suffered prolonged shutdowns, rising debts and falling public confidence. Those difficulties led to calls for TOR to be privatised or abandoned.
President Mahama rejected that approach, saying national assets of strategic importance should be restored rather than discarded.
“But I have always believed that nations do not build prosperity by abandoning strategic national assets whenever they face adversity. You do not sell your birthright because maintaining it has become difficult. You restore it. You strengthen it. You make it work again,” he stated.
He said the refinery’s restoration fulfilled a major campaign promise and formed part of the government’s wider industrialisation programme.
Since May this year, TOR has received three separate consignments of one million barrels of crude oil: Bonga, Baleine and Jubilee Medium Sweet Crude. The deliveries are intended to support the return of domestic refining operations.
According to President Mahama, rehabilitation work has increased the refinery’s capacity from about 28,000 barrels per stream day towards its original design capacity of 45,000 barrels. The government plans eventually to raise production to 60,000 barrels per stream day.
A fully operational TOR, he said, would improve Ghana’s energy security, reduce reliance on imported petroleum products, conserve foreign exchange and provide sustainable employment.
“Every barrel refined here means less foreign exchange spent importing finished petroleum products. Every young engineer employed here represents hope for Ghana’s industrial future,” he said.
The President warned, however, that the refinery’s revival would only be sustained through discipline, accountability and high operational standards.
“Reviving a refinery is one thing. Keeping it operating efficiently, safely and profitably is another,” he stressed.
He commended TOR’s workforce for protecting the refinery’s technical knowledge and infrastructure during years of operational difficulty. He also urged the Board and management to ensure the facility remained commercially viable and competitive internationally.
As part of efforts to secure the refinery’s future, President Mahama directed the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition and TOR management to prepare a strategic plan to expand refining capacity to 100,000 barrels per day. He also called for governance reforms to protect the refinery from political interference.
He said a stronger TOR could support the government’s proposed 24-hour economy policy and help Ghana benefit from opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Earlier, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, said President Mahama’s decision to stop a proposed US$22 million lease arrangement under the previous administration had preserved TOR as a strategic national asset.
Dr Jinapor also said the President had ordered a review of how crude oil supplied to domestic refineries was paid for. Local refineries currently pay for crude in foreign currency, although the refined products are sold in Ghana cedis.
The government is therefore considering whether crude transactions for domestic refining could also be settled in cedis. Dr Jinapor said the Governor of the Bank of Ghana supported the proposal, which could reduce pressure on the cedi and lower operating costs.
He added that discussions would begin soon on a framework to increase the use of the cedi in domestic crude oil transactions. Ghana’s longer-term objective, he said, was to become self-sufficient in petroleum products and eventually export refined products to neighbouring countries.
TOR Managing Director Edmond Kombat said the refinery’s rehabilitation had created direct employment for 1,542 Ghanaians and helped rebuild confidence in Ghana’s industrial capacity.
He said the programme had involved more than repairing ageing equipment, extending to the restoration of livelihoods, the strengthening of technical skills and the creation of opportunities for young professionals.
“Today is therefore more than the commissioning of equipment. It is the commissioning of confidence. It is the restoration of national pride,” he said.
Mr Kombat said the completion of CDU Turnaround Maintenance and the return to refining operations on 19 December 2025 represented a major step in TOR’s recovery.
Other achievements included the installation of the F-61 Furnace, the rehabilitation of Boiler Number Eight, the installation of the new 120-ton steam boiler, the completion of outstanding audited accounts and the processing of Ghanaian crude oil.
TOR recorded a profit before tax of more than GH¢1 billion in the 2025 financial year, Mr Kombat added. He attributed the result to tighter financial discipline, improved operational efficiency and stronger revenue management.
The rehabilitation works included 301 temporary workers during CDU maintenance, 287 workers for RFCC maintenance, 654 people employed through 35 local subcontractors and 300 young engineers recruited into permanent roles.
Mr Kombat said TOR’s long-term ambition was to become one of West Africa’s most competitive refineries through further expansion, modernisation and operational excellence.
“Energy security cannot operate on office hours. Every additional hour of refining strengthens Ghana’s economy. Every additional litre produced locally reduces dependence on imports,” he said.
