The management of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has rejected claims that the facility has shut down due to a lack of government investment, describing the reports as inaccurate.

In an interview with Accra-based Citi FM on Friday, February 20, 2026, TOR’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Godwin Mahama Ayaba, clarified that the refinery is moving into the second phase of its operational ramp-up after successfully completing a test run following years of inactivity.

He explained that TOR is preparing to integrate the F-61 furnace with the existing F-1 furnace to power the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU).

The integration is expected to raise output capacity from the current 28,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd) to 45,000 bpsd.

According to Mr. Ayaba, operations must temporarily pause to allow engineers to complete the necessary tie-in process.

“Such preparations cannot be carried out while the plant is in full operation.

From a technical and engineering standpoint, you have to suspend operations to safely execute the tie-in.

That is exactly what we are doing,” he said.

He also emphasised the need for caution, recalling that the F-61 furnace exploded in 2017.

He noted that strict engineering standards must be met to prevent a recurrence of that incident.

Mr. Ayaba further disclosed that Vega Engineering, the Italian firm that constructed the F-61 furnace, is required to supervise its recommissioning before handing it over to TOR’s internal engineering team.

“All necessary preparations are ongoing to bring the F-61 on stream.

Once completed, we will be able to increase production to 45,000 barrels per stream day, up from the current 28,000,” he stated.

Reaffirming the refinery’s position, Mr. Ayaba stressed that the current operational adjustment is not the result of maintenance challenges, technical faults, or funding shortages.

“The narrative suggesting that this situation is due to lack of investment, lack of funds, or technical and maintenance issues does not reflect the reality on the ground,” he added.