Francis Boateng and Ato Morrison
THE MANAGING Director and Deputy Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Messrs Francis Boateng and Ato Morrison, have been relieved of their duties, DAILY GUIDE has gathered.
Reasons for their dismissal are yet to be disclosed but information available to this paper indicates that the MD and his deputy received letters from the Ministry of Energy on Friday, June 11, 2021, asking them to vacate their offices.
A source at the facility has confirmed the development to this paper.
Mr. Boateng was the General Manager for Commercial Operations at the Ghana National Gas Company before he was appointed the Managing Director of TOR.
He replaced Kweku Asante Berko, who resigned over allegations of his involvement in a bribery scandal by the Securities and Exchange Commission in the United States of America (USA).
Workers of TOR have in recent times registered their displeasure with the performance of the facility’s management under Mr. Boateng, especially the frequent shutdowns.
The workers have also been protesting the non-payment of their salaries, the disconnection of water supply to the refinery by the Ghana Water Company Limited and the lack of crude oil for refining, among other concerns.
Over the last six years, the facility is alleged to have incurred losses from its operations.
Energy Consultant, Nana Amoasi VII of the Institute for Energy Security (IES), believes urgent steps must be taken to increase the refinery’s Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) from 23,000 barrel per stream day (bpsd) to 45,000 bpsd, solve the Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC) problem, as well as install hydro-treating catalysts and technologies for all crude oil fractions.
Again, he has called for the construction of a gas pipeline (less than one kilometer) to power the refinery and also put security measures in place to stop the stealing of products.
“The government is faced with the daunting task of appointing a new Managing Director and a board of directors to save our premier and only refinery. The Minister of Energy is appointing an interim management committee to oversee the day to day running of the refinery. We hope this decision is not rushed since the job security of many workers employed at TOR depends on a new competent Managing Director,” he said.
TOR has a 45,000 bpsd capacity CDU and 14,000 bpsd RFCC Unit which converts atmospheric air to higher-value finished products but has been operating below 25,000 bpsd.
From Vincent Kubi, Tema