Government is deliberately running down Tema Oil Refinery to sell to Sentuo Oil Refinery Limited – ASEPA

The Executive Director of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mensah Thompson, has accused the Ghanaian government of intentionally sabotaging the operations of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) to pave the way for its sale to Sentuo Oil Refinery Limited.

Thompson alleges that this move is aimed at granting Sentuo Oil Refinery Limited a monopoly in the market, allowing it to dictate prices without the inconvenience of competing with TOR for market share.

He argues that if TOR were perceived to be functioning effectively, the public would resist its sale to Sentuo.

“The government has deliberately run down Tema Oil Refinery to create an opportunity for its sale because if TOR is perceived to be working, Ghanaians will refuse its sale to Sentuo Oil Refinery Limited,” he alleged.

His comment comes after a whistle-blower alert received from a TOR insider revealed to ASEPA that a meeting was ongoing between the Managements of TOR and Sentuo Oil Refinery on the sale of TOR.

During a discussion with Nana Yaa Brefo and Isaac Ekow JB on Yen Nsempa, Onua FM, on April 9, Thompson highlighted the government’s pattern of deliberate mismanagement and neglect of state-owned enterprises when they have plans to sell them.

Drawing parallels with the fate of Ghana Airways, he emphasized how the once-vibrant national airline was portrayed as deteriorated and was subsequently sold off leading to adverse effects on consumers.

“Government has adopted a trend to deliberately run down government corporations, they make it seem non-profitable to sell it, they deliberately mismanage them.”

“Look at how a valuable entity like Ghana Airways went down and was sold. We have a lot of private Airways in Ghana that are profitable. Now, Ghanaians are paying exorbitant fees for air travel because we no longer have a national airline,” he lamented.

Thompson lamented the repercussions of such actions, citing increased airfares and diminished accessibility to air travel due to the absence of a national carrier.

Adding that the absence of a national airline has resulted in Ghanaians bearing the burden of higher travel costs, as they now rely on foreign carriers for international flights.