The Executive Director of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), Duncan Amoah, has sharply criticised the Government of Ghana for what he describes as its failure to prioritise critical state-owned energy infrastructure, notably the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), while allowing the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) to operate more like a private profit-driven firm than a national buffer institution.
Mr. Amoah expressed frustration over the government’s lack of clear long-term strategy to revamp key assets in the petroleum sector, despite rising fuel prices and public discontent over the Energy Sector Shortfall and Debt Repayment Levy (ESSDRL).
The Tema Oil Refinery, once a central pillar of Ghana’s energy architecture, has remained largely dormant due to a combination of mismanagement, underinvestment, and political inertia.
Despite ongoing calls from industry stakeholders for its rehabilitation, the facility remains non-operational forcing Ghana to rely entirely on imported refined petroleum products.
Amoah lamented that the government has instead focused on introducing levies like the ESSDRL without earmarking any funds for critical national infrastructure.
In addition to his concerns about TOR, the COPEC Executive Director also took aim at BOST, accusing it of abandoning its public interest mandate in favour of commercial practices more typical of a Bulk Distribution Company (BDC).
Credit: thevaultznews