The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) says the restoration of its refining operations has created 1,657 permanent and temporary jobs, alongside approximately 6,500 indirect employment opportunities, as management seeks to reposition the state-owned facility as a commercially viable refinery.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series, TOR’s Managing Director Edmond Kombat said the return of operations had generated employment for young engineers, maintenance workers and personnel engaged by local contractors.
He described the jobs as part of the broader economic benefits of restoring the refinery, which resumed operations on December 19, 2025, following turnaround maintenance.
“When we did the count, TOR has created 1,657 permanent and temporary jobs, and these are numbers that can be verified.”
TOR’s Managing Director Edmond Kombat
TOR Revival Expands Direct Employment Opportunities
According to the Managing Director, the refinery’s restoration has created jobs across several areas of its operations, including engineering, maintenance and contractor-supported activities.
He cited 415 young engineers employed in permanent positions, alongside temporary workers engaged for maintenance and other operational requirements. The refinery also engaged 67 workers for residue fluid catalytic cracker maintenance, while 654 people were employed by 35 local contractors working at the facility.
These employment figures form part of management’s reported total of 1,657 permanent and temporary jobs associated with the refinery’s revival. The Managing Director argued that the restoration of operations had provided opportunities for young professionals and other workers to contribute to the country’s industrial development.
He also highlighted the role of local contractors in supporting the refinery’s maintenance and operational activities, noting that the revival had created employment beyond the refinery’s direct workforce.
However, the figures presented at the accountability session were management’s reported estimates and would require verification against employment records to establish the precise distribution of jobs across permanent, temporary and contractor arrangements.
About 6,500 Indirect Jobs Reported
Beyond direct employment, the Managing Director estimated that TOR’s return to operations had supported approximately 6,500 indirect jobs, particularly among tanker drivers and other workers in the downstream petroleum sector.
These opportunities are linked to activities surrounding the movement, distribution and handling of petroleum products, which depend on coordination between the refinery and other participants in the industry.
The Managing Director said the refinery’s operations had strengthened its relationships with commercial partners and other stakeholders who had previously been reluctant to work with the facility.
He attributed the renewed engagement to improvements in the refinery’s operations and management, alongside efforts to restore confidence among suppliers, customers and business partners.
The reported indirect employment figure highlights the wider network of economic activities associated with refining petroleum products locally. However, the presentation did not provide a detailed breakdown of the estimated 6,500 jobs or explain the methodology used to calculate them.
Refinery Resumes Operations After Maintenance
TOR’s employment gains come after the completion of turnaround maintenance on its crude distillation unit (CDU), which ran from August 1 to October 30, 2025.
Following the maintenance works, the National Petroleum Authority inspected the plant and confirmed compliance with mandatory safety and operational requirements before clearing the refinery to resume refining.
The Managing Director said petroleum products began flowing through the crude distillation unit into storage on December 19, 2025, marking the return of refining operations.
He also reported that the refinery had received approximately five million barrels of crude oil since May 2026, after experiencing a period without crude supply in 2024.
The deliveries included imported crude grades and Ghana’s Jubilee crude, which management described as an important step towards strengthening links between the country’s upstream, midstream and downstream petroleum sectors.
Consistent crude supply, the Managing Director explained, had enabled the refinery to maintain operations and plan for further improvements in production capacity.
TOR Pursues Capacity Expansion and Operational Improvements
Management is also pursuing measures intended to expand the refinery’s processing capacity and support its long-term sustainability.
The Managing Director said technical work was underway to increase the crude distillation unit’s throughput from approximately 28,000 barrels per stream day to between 45,000 and 55,000 barrels per stream day.
He further disclosed that the government had directed the refinery to work towards increasing capacity to 100,000 barrels per stream day and eventually 200,000 barrels per stream day.
According to him, the longer-term expansion could be achieved between 2027 and 2028, although the targets depend on the completion of the necessary upgrades.
Management is also pursuing equipment improvements, including work on the residue fluid catalytic cracker and supervisory control and data acquisition system, alongside other planned investments.
The proposed expansion is intended to strengthen domestic refining capacity and reduce Ghana’s reliance on imported finished petroleum products.
Financial Recovery Remains Central to TOR’s Future
The Managing Director’s remarks also linked the refinery’s operational recovery to efforts to improve its financial position and commercial performance.
He reported that TOR recorded a profit before tax of GH¢1.24 billion in 2025, which he described as its first return to profitability in a decade. He also said the refinery’s negative equity declined from GH¢7.1 billion in 2024 to GH¢5 billion in 2025.
Management has additionally been pursuing improved financial controls, the recovery of outstanding receivables and the completion of overdue audited accounts.
The Managing Director said government was considering whether to write off approximately US$120 million in TOR debt or convert it into equity. The proposal remains under consideration, according to his remarks.
As the refinery continues its recovery programme, management’s reported employment figures provide one measure of the potential economic benefits of restoring operations. The sustainability of those gains will depend on the refinery’s ability to maintain crude supply, expand production, strengthen its finances and operate commercially over the long term.
READ ALSO: High Court Upholds NDC’s Six-Month Resignation Rule
