General News
TOR Was Left ‘Deep in Debt and Disrepair’ – MD Reveals
By : Sarah Adwoa Akuetteh
The Managing Director of Oil Refinery, Edmond Kombat, has revealed the scale of operational and financial challenges the refinery faced prior to its recent revival, describing the situation as “depressing” and nearly beyond recovery.
Speaking during an engagement with fellows of the African Extractive Media Fellowship (AEMF), Kombat traced the refinery’s trajectory from a relatively stable position in 2016 to what he described as a near-collapse state by 2024.
According to him, TOR’s debt, which had been reduced from $650 million to about $300 million before 2017, ballooned again to approximately $517 million over the following years, accompanied by operational shutdowns, poor maintenance, and rising liabilities.
He further disclosed that the refinery accumulated significant financial obligations, including debts to the Ghana Revenue Authority, ECG, Ghana Water, and staff-related funds, while also recording years of unaudited accounts and massive cumulative losses. At the same time, critical infrastructure such as storage tanks and processing units were left non-functional, with 17 tanks reportedly out of service and key plants idle.
Kombat painted a picture of an institution plagued not only by financial distress but also internal divisions, low staff morale, and a high attrition rate, with skilled workers leaving for opportunities in international markets, including the Middle East and larger refineries like Dangote. “The place was so depressing that it almost looked like there was no way out,” he admitted.
However, since assuming leadership, he says management has focused on rebuilding the refinery through internal reforms rather than relying on immediate government funding. “Central to this effort was restoring staff confidence and addressing longstanding human resource concerns, including stalled promotions. Over 300 staff petitions were reviewed, leading to promotions and salary adjustments aimed at rebuilding trust and productivity” he said.
With limited financial capacity, the refinery adopted unconventional strategies to generate revenue. These included extending operational hours, attracting regional clients such as Burkina Faso for petroleum storage services, and rebuilding confidence among private petroleum service providers. According to Kombat, these measures helped stabilize revenue streams and support initial restoration works.
A major milestone in the refinery’s recovery came on December 19, 2025, when TOR resumed refining operations after years of inactivity. The primary processing unit, known as the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), was successfully restored by in-house engineers without external technical support. Ongoing works are also targeting the secondary processing unit (RFCC), which is expected to further enhance output and product value.
Beyond operations, management has initiated efforts to restore critical infrastructure, including rehabilitating storage tanks, modernizing the loading gantry, and recruiting new staff to address an aging workforce. Edmond Kombat noted that over 400 temporary workers and 300 permanent staff have been engaged as part of this rebuilding phase.
He emphasized the strategic importance of TOR to Ghana’s energy security, highlighting its unique capacity to produce aviation fuel and premix fuel, as well as its extensive storage and distribution infrastructure. With storage capacity estimated at one million metric tonnes and connections to key national and regional supply routes, the refinery remains central to the country’s petroleum supply chain.
The Managing Director also warned that neglecting such an asset could have serious consequences, particularly in times of global supply disruptions. He pointed to geopolitical tensions as a reminder of the need for strong domestic refining capacity and adequate fuel reserves.
While acknowledging progress, he maintained that the refinery’s recovery is still in its early stages. “We are just scratching the surface,” he said, stressing the need for continuity in management and policy direction to sustain the gains made so far.
General News
TikToker Camilla Alhassan Jailed One Year for Spreading False Claims About President Mahama
TikToker Camilla Alhassan has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Accra Circuit Court after pleading guilty to charges of offensive conduct and publishing false news.
The sentence was handed down on Thursday, July 16, after Alhassan admitted to sharing videos on social media in which she falsely claimed, without any evidence, that President John Dramani Mahama buried 32 cows as part of rituals to secure victory in the 2024 general election.
Speaking after the ruling, her lawyer, Kwadwo Gyamfi Bonsu, disclosed that the court dismissed the charge of electronic abuse, explaining that it lacked the legal jurisdiction to determine that particular offence.
Despite dropping the electronic abuse charge, the court convicted Alhassan on the count of offensive conduct and imposed a one-year custodial sentence.
According to her lawyer, the defence pleaded for a more lenient sentence, but the judge maintained that the increasing spread of false information and similar offences required a punishment that would serve as a deterrent.
Camilla Alhassan was arrested and prosecuted by the Ghana Police Service after the videos gained widespread attention on social media. Prior to sentencing, the court had also ordered a pregnancy test during an earlier hearing as part of the proceedings.
President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to equitable national development, declaring that no region of Ghana would be neglected because of its electoral choices.
Speaking during the sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of a 24-Hour Economy Model Market at Juapong in the Volta Region as part of his Resetting Ghana Tour, President Mahama said his administration was determined to ensure that every part of the country benefited from development projects.
He rejected the notion that any region should be taken for granted or left behind because of the way its people voted in elections.
“Our mandate, given to us by the good people of Ghana, is to govern the country for every Ghanaian,” he said. “Our commitment to the Volta Region is founded on fairness, equity and our constitutional responsibility to ensure balanced national development across the whole country.”
The President noted that the Volta Region had made an immeasurable contribution to Ghana’s development and deserved its fair share of national progress.
He said government was deliberately investing in infrastructure and public services across the country, including healthcare, education, roads, transport, agriculture, agro-processing and modern markets to improve livelihoods and create economic opportunities.
President Mahama made the remarks after cutting the sod for the construction of the Juapong 24-Hour Economy Model Market, one of a series of markets to be built nationwide under the government’s flagship 24-Hour Economy initiative.
Prophet Dr. Power Man has predicted that Ghana may witness the loss of some prominent personalities in the coming days, including a well-known lawyer and politician who has served the nation.
Speaking on Kessben 92.9 FM’s Awurade Akasa programme hosted by Prophet Richard Afful, the man of God was asked about what lies ahead for Ghana and its citizens.
According to Prophet Dr. Power Man, the country would move from a period of “tears of joy” into a time of great sorrow, as he claimed he had seen difficult moments ahead for the nation.
“I saw a prominent person in Ghana, a politician who is a lawyer and has served the nation. He is a very prominent person,” he stated.
He added that from July 14, 2026, through December 2027, Ghanaians would hear reports of the passing of some notable personalities.
“From 14th July till 2027 December, we will hear about the death of prominent people, about four or three people in the country,” Prophet Dr. Power Man said.
When asked by the host whether the people involved would be young or old, the prophet responded that some would be elderly while others would be young.
He further explained that when it comes to such situations, sickness may not always be the cause, adding that “death is what is meant to be” and should not always be attributed to witchcraft
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