New TOR Board Inaugurated to Spearhead Refinery Revival and Restore Ghana’s Energy Independence
Photo Credit: Ministry of Energy and Green Transition
July 23, 2025
In a decisive push to restore Ghana’s downstream energy infrastructure, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Hon. John Abdulai Jinapor, has inaugurated a new Board of Directors for the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama. The swearing-in, which took place in Tema, marks a critical milestone in efforts to revive the country’s only state-owned refinery and position it once again as a key pillar of national energy security.
The newly constituted nine-member board, chaired by Hon. Nayon Bilijo, has been tasked with restoring TOR’s full operational capacity. Minister Jinapor, speaking at the event, stressed the refinery’s strategic role in reducing Ghana’s reliance on imported refined petroleum products and called for immediate, results-driven action. “Your foremost duty is to get TOR back on stream,” the Minister urged, citing the facility’s economic and strategic importance. “You must implement bold and strategic actions to return the refinery to profitability.”
The board’s formation follows a period of operational dormancy and financial strain for TOR, once considered a regional refining leader. With Ghana spending significant foreign exchange on imported fuels, reactivating local refining capacity is increasingly seen as essential to stabilising the energy sector and creating value domestically. In recent months, the refinery has made modest progress using internally generated funds, as acknowledged by the Minister in a separate statement on TOR’s operational improvements.
Hon. Nayon Bilijo, in his first remarks as Board Chair, thanked President Mahama for the confidence placed in the board and pledged to deliver a sustainable turnaround plan. “We are honoured by this appointment and understand the enormity of the task ahead. We will work with urgency and dedication to revive TOR and make it a viable and efficient institution once more,” he stated on behalf of the board.
The members of the reconstituted board are;
1. Hon. Nayon Bilijo - Chairperson
2. Edmond Kombat Esq. – Ag. Managing Director
3. Mr. Thomas Martey Laari - Member
4. Mr. Robert Kempes Ofosuhene - Member
5. Hon. Dr. Sebastian N. Sandaare - Member
6. Mr. Mugabe Saifu Maase – Member
7. Hon. Mohammed Issah Bataglia - Member
8. Osabarima Kyei Osafo Kantanka – Member
9. Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah -Member
Their immediate responsibility is to present a strategic roadmap for revamping TOR’s operations and aligning with the national energy transition agenda.
The move comes amid broader government efforts to reassert control over critical energy infrastructure, supported by increasing political momentum for industrial self-reliance. In a follow-up statement published by TOR, the refinery reiterated its commitment to working with the new board to deliver sustainable progress in line with the government’s objectives.
If successful, the refinery’s revival could substantially reduce Ghana’s fuel import bill, enhance forex stability, and create thousands of skilled jobs—reaffirming TOR’s place at the heart of Ghana’s energy future.
