The Deputy Managing Director of Ghana’s state-owned Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Dr. Mustapha Abubakar, has underscored the strategic importance of restoring the refinery to full capacity, saying it could sharply reduce fuel imports and strengthen national energy security.
Speaking in Accra on CTV’s Oman Ghana Nkusuo morning show, Dr. Abubakar said TOR remains one of Ghana’s most critical national assets and should be prioritised alongside institutions such as COCOBOD and GoldBod.
He said Ghana currently spends about $400 million each month importing petroleum products, a level he described as unsustainable for the economy. According to Dr. Abubakar, a fully operational TOR, working with the Akwaaba Refinery and other facilities, could refine enough crude locally to cut imports by at least 50%.
Dr. Abubakar said the government has reaffirmed its commitment to reviving TOR since his appointment with Managing Director Mr. Edmond Kombat early last year, citing campaign-era remarks by President John Dramani Mahama describing the refinery as a strategic national asset.
TOR currently produces about 28,000 barrels per day, against national demand of roughly 112,000 barrels, but output is expected to rise to 60,000 barrels per day once a new furnace is commissioned. He said the revival of TOR, originally established under Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah, is vital not only to reducing fuel imports but also to supporting broader economic growth and industrial development.