Some $2.5 million worth of crude condensate has gone missing at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has revealed.
According to him, the product forms part of a deal the Ministry secured for the Refinery in the premix sector.
He however, said that after the deal about $2.5 million worth of condensate crude has been lost and left unaccounted for by the company.
The minister said “I gave TOR a new business opportunity in the premix fuel market that all the condensate from Ghana Gas should be used for blending premix fuel. The last time I heard, Over $2.5 million worth of condensate had gone missing from TOR”.
He said the company is bedeviled with about $5 million debt as a result of workers unprofessional conducts.
Dr. Opoku Prempeh said government is doing all it can to revive the company.
“You don’t pay taxes for it to go into the drain. You pay taxes for the efficient function of government, government I can tell you is doing so much work to bring TOR back. There are proposals laying down in TOR. The Attorney General is having a look at it, SIGA is having a look, Finance Ministry,” Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempreh said.
This comes on the back of the workers threatening strike if government fails to revive the refinery.
The General Transport Petroleum Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU) on Tuesday, April 18 announced its intention to embark on a series of actions to compel the government and the Ministry of Energy to revamp the company.
The National Chairman of GTPCWU, Bernard Owusu at a press conference at the premises of the Refinery said the industrial action would precede the May Day celebrations.
Mr Owusu noted that the need for the revamping of TOR has become even more important now due to the current economic crisis and the palpitating fuel prices.
“At a time of ongoing financial distress and debt restructuring programme, significant benefits of this magnitude in an essential commodity such as petroleum products should be top on the national agenda.
But the Managing Director of TOR, Jerry K. Hinson has threatened to deal with any worker according to the law, who will embark on illegal conduct.
He pointed out that no worker will be spared should he or she be found culpable of breaching 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.”
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