The Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Edmond Kombat, has expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, and the leadership and staff of the Ministry for their continued support for the refinery’s recovery and transformation.
His remarks follow his recognition as the 2026 Energy Sector Recovery Programme (ESRP) Champion of the Year at the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition’s 2026 Annual Retreat held at the Volta Serene Hotel in Ho, in the Volta Region.
Mr Kombat received the recognition for his leadership and contribution to efforts to revive Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector and restore refining operations at the state-owned refinery.
The award comes amid efforts to reposition TOR to fulfil its core mandate of refining crude oil locally, adding value to Ghana’s petroleum resources and contributing to the country’s energy security.
According to the citation accompanying the award, Mr Kombat’s recognition reflects progress made in restoring the refinery’s operations, particularly the completion of critical Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) works on the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU).
The maintenance works paved the way for the resumption of crude oil refining after several years of operational inactivity, marking an important development in efforts to return the facility to its core business.
The citation also highlighted TOR’s successful processing of locally produced Jubilee Medium Sweet Crude, including the achievement of processing one million barrels by August 2026.
The milestone represents part of the refinery’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its operational capacity and support domestic value addition within Ghana’s petroleum industry.
For TOR, the recovery of its refining operations is central to its long-term objective of becoming a reliable and sustainable player in the country’s downstream petroleum sector.
Reacting to the recognition, Mr Kombat said he is humbled by the honour, stressing that the achievement should not be viewed as an individual accomplishment but as the result of a collective effort involving government, the refinery’s leadership, staff and other stakeholders.
“I am deeply humbled and grateful for this recognition. I receive it not simply as a personal honour, but as recognition of the collective effort of the Government, the Ministry, the TOR Board, Management and staff, and all our partners who have contributed to the progress we are making at Tema Oil Refinery,” he said.
He expressed particular appreciation to President Mahama for the policy direction and government support aimed at reviving strategic national assets and strengthening Ghana’s energy security.
Mr Kombat also acknowledged the contribution of Dr Jinapor and the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, commending them for their continued guidance, engagement and encouragement.
He said the support had provided the Board, Management and staff of TOR with the necessary direction and motivation to pursue the refinery’s recovery.
“I wish to express my sincere appreciation to His Excellency the President, the Honourable Minister and the entire Ministry of Energy and Green Transition for their continued confidence and support for Tema Oil Refinery. Their commitment has provided the encouragement and direction needed for us to pursue the recovery of this important national asset,” he added.
Mr Kombat said the recognition was particularly significant because it came at a time when the Ministry was reviewing the energy sector’s performance in 2026 and setting priorities for the following year.
The annual retreat brought together key leadership and stakeholders in the energy sector to assess achievements, identify priorities and develop strategies for 2027.
He said the award should inspire the refinery’s leadership and workforce to build on the progress made rather than become complacent.
According to him, TOR would use the recognition as an incentive to improve its performance, consolidate operational gains and pursue more ambitious targets in the coming year.
“This recognition is a great motivation for us to do more. As the Ministry reviews what we have achieved in 2026 and looks ahead to 2027, we at TOR are equally encouraged to raise the bar, consolidate the gains we have made and pursue even greater achievements,” he said.
He added that the refinery would continue to prioritise operational excellence, safety, reliability, efficiency, accountability and financial sustainability.
These priorities, he noted, would remain essential to improving the refinery’s performance and ensuring that it contributes meaningfully to Ghana’s energy security.
Beyond acknowledging government and ministerial support, Mr Kombat paid tribute to the Chairman and members of the TOR Board, Management and staff for their roles in the refinery’s recovery.
He particularly commended the technical teams, engineers, operators, artisans and support staff, whose work has been instrumental in the maintenance and restoration of the facility’s operations.
He said the recognition belonged to the entire TOR workforce, describing their dedication and resilience as important to the progress achieved so far.
“This recognition belongs to the entire TOR family. Our people have worked with dedication, resilience and a strong sense of national duty. I commend the Board, Management and staff for their commitment, and I encourage everyone to see this award as a call to work even harder,” he stated.
Mr Kombat further observed that the refinery’s progress demonstrated the importance of government commitment, institutional leadership, technical expertise and staff dedication in pursuing national development objectives.
He said sustained cooperation among these groups would be necessary to maintain the gains made and address the challenges associated with restoring and operating a strategic industrial facility.
Looking ahead to 2027, Mr Kombat reaffirmed the refinery’s commitment to working closely with the government, the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, the TOR Board and other stakeholders to strengthen its operations.
He said the focus would be on consolidating the achievements recorded so far and positioning the refinery as a safe, reliable, efficient and financially sustainable national asset.
The Managing Director acknowledged that, despite the progress made, significant work remained to ensure that TOR could consistently fulfil its strategic role in Ghana’s energy sector.
“We are grateful for the recognition, but we recognise that there is still much more work to be done. The award strengthens our resolve to deliver more, improve continuously and ensure that Tema Oil Refinery fulfils its strategic role in Ghana’s energy sector,” he said.
He reiterated his appreciation to President Mahama, Dr Jinapor, the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, the TOR Board, Management, staff and all partners for their continued confidence and support.
The recognition places renewed emphasis on the refinery’s recovery programme as it seeks to sustain refining operations, improve efficiency and strengthen its contribution to Ghana’s domestic petroleum industry.
By Henry Eliud Yankey
