Ranking member on Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, John Jinapor, has called on government to dissolve the Interim Management Committee of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) investigating the cable theft at the refinery.
Speaking in an interview, he revealed that the IMC which was set up in June primarily to check and put an end to some of the gaps encountered at the refinery has not lived up to its expectation.
Mr Jinapor noted that, the act of stealing has rather intensified under the current Interim Management Committee. He explained that the Committee “is supposed to put in place checks and to avert what we are witnessing”.
“Our view is that, the so-called Interim Management ought to be dissolved.
“If their duty was to come and sit, allow the matter to happen, allow fuel to be stolen and then they will come and say that look fuel has been stolen, we want to investigate it then we don’t even need that committee at all. The essence of the committee was that fuel was being stolen, fuel was not well accounted for so they should come and put in place measures to ensure that; that is not done.
“Now under this Management Committee, in this very September about three different incidents have occurred. You cannot praise them for superintending over the loss and stealing of fuel products”.
Mr John Jinapor
The ranking member on mines, in a similar vein, expressed his displeasure over the annual change of Managing Director since the government took power. The constant change of MD, he explained, is not a good practice.
Consequently, Mr Jinapor recommended a substantive Managing Director to be appointed in the stead of the IMC.
“Almost one year after being sworn into office, TOR the only refinery in the country doesn’t even have a Board, so clearly there is a major problem there. So, I think that the President should dissolve the committee and appoint a Board devoid of partisan politics”.
Mr John Jinapor
Interim Management Committee, not effective
Prior to this, Executive Director of the Institute for Energy Policy and Research, Kwadwo Poku, had earlier indicated that the Interim Management Committee of the Tema Oil Refinery has not lived up to expectations since its constitution some four months ago.
He contended that the Committee should have been able to ferret out the problems TOR is facing with intent to suggest appropriate measures to revive the company.
“I don’t expect you to come and tell me that you’ve interdicted people and began investigations after four months of being there. My concern is that they are sleeping on the job.
“The Interim Committee puts the place in limbo and everybody knows the interim is there for a short period. Businesses are not comfortable dealing with them for long-term investments and Tema Oil Refinery needs long-term investments”.
Mr Kwadwo Poku
Following this, Mr Poku urged Energy Minister and the President to set standards for the IMC so that proper monitoring can be done. Also, he emphasized that it is inappropriate for TOR to keep losing money when it suffers to generate revenue.
“I don’t have a problem with the work they are doing. Tema Oil Refinery must work again, somebody can’t sit there and in four months, just come out and say I’m beginning an investigation into theft.
“Their interim nature causes a problem. In the last four months, what we have heard even from the report they put out, tells us that they’ve been there for four months and they’ve not done anything”.
Mr Kwadwo Poku
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