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TOR now a mess, Board must be dissolved – Petroleum Chemical Workers Union
The General Transport and Petroleum Chemical Workers Union has raised concerns about the state of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), alleging mismanagement by the Board of Directors and opposing the proposed lease deal with Torentco Asset Management Group.
In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, the Union’s National Chairman, Bernard Owusu, took a dig at the TOR Board for failing to get a “genuine partner” to revive the refinery and called for its dissolution.
“The Board of Tema Oil Refinery has exhibited some sort of incompetent attitude that we have been complaining about for the past 18 months, and it seems like authorities are not adhering to our call. A board that has been instituted for almost 2 years, has not been able to get a very genuine partner to take over the affairs of the refinery to ensure that the the refinery runs smoothly,” Owusu said.
He lamented that activities at the refinery are now in limbo due to the inadequacies of the Board.
“You heard a few months ago that electricity at the refinery was shut down. The place is a mess as we speak. We are supposed to run TOR efficiently by policy and guidance from the board and management, but as we speak now, the refinery is in limbo,” he bemoaned.
Owusu also kicked against the Torentco deal, stressing that Torentco lacks the capacity and technical know-how to run the affairs of the refinery.
“We have chanced upon a report, and it has clearly stated that this company called Torentco Asset Management lacks the capacity, and technical how to run the affairs of the refinery. So we made a request to the board, through the Ministry of Energy and Trades Union Congress to send our appeal to the authorities that the company that the board is bent on working with has issues.
“Only for us to be told that this same company that was formed last year, has now changed its form to another company called Tema Energy Processing Limited. And it has floated shares and out of that the refinery workers have been given some part of the shares of 20%. And 40% of the shares have been given to Torentco and 40% given to another company”.
Under the terms of the lease, Torentco Asset Management Group will pay $22 million to lease the refinery for six years. The group is expected to refine up to 8 million barrels annually and will be required to pay an annual rent of $1 million, along with an additional monthly rent of $1.067 million.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
The Vice President, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has called for stronger action to promote gender equity and create more opportunities for women in the workplace.
She made the call in a Facebook post after joining staff at the Presidency of Ghana to mark International Women’s Day.
The celebration was held under the theme “From Commitment to Action: Promoting Equity for Every Woman in the Workplace” and focused on recognising the achievements of women while reflecting on the work needed to ensure equal opportunities.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang extended warm wishes to women across Ghana and noted that women have always played key roles in the country’s communities and economic activities.
According to her, women in the past served as healers, traders and queen mothers who contributed to leadership and governance in traditional societies.
She explained that Ghana’s cultural history shows that women have long provided knowledge, leadership and innovation to help develop communities.
The Vice President however noted that current disparities require society to examine systems and structures that may have limited opportunities for women.
She stressed that advancing gender equity will require deliberate actions and the mentoring of young women to prepare them for leadership roles.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang recognised women whose work takes place in markets, streets and small trading spaces across the country.
According to her, these women form the backbone of local economies and continue to demonstrate resilience despite the difficult conditions they face.
She commended women working at the Presidency for their dedication and leadership and reaffirmed the need to promote respect, fairness and opportunity for every woman.
The Vice President further called on both men and women to work together to break barriers and ensure that women can fully contribute to Ghana’s development.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
