President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned the refurbished Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), signaling the start of efforts to restart operations at the facility after almost 6 years of closure.
The event marks a major step in government’s plan to restore the state-owned refinery and strengthen local fuel production.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Mahama said the revival of the CDU forms part of his administration’s “resetting agenda” to grow the economy and reduce reliance on imports.
The President also witnessed the delivery of Ghana’s Jubilee crude oil for local refining, a move government says will boost domestic processing and cut the cost of importing finished petroleum products.
The Crude Distillation Unit is the first and most critical unit in an oil refinery.
It separates crude oil into different components based on boiling points, before they are processed into gasoline, diesel, and other products.
President Mahama commended the management, board, and staff of TOR for reviving the unit without direct government funding.
He described their work as “a demonstration of what dedication and effective management can achieve” and urged them to sustain the momentum.
Energy Minister, John Jinapor also noted that government had two options, outlining to either lease out the refinery for $22 million over 10 years or invest in getting Ghanaians to run it.
“We chose to keep it and make sure the people of Ghana work hard to keep it,” he stated.
Officials say bringing the CDU back online will improve TOR’s refining capacity, enhance energy security, and support industrial growth.
TOR has been shut down for nearly 6 years due to financial and operational challenges.
With the CDU now refurbished, management expects a gradual return to full operations in the coming months.
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