The Board Chairman of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), David Adomako has dismissed calls by the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers’ Union (GTPCWU) of the Trades Unions Congress (TUC) for his dismissal over the controversial TOR-Torentco Partnership Deal.

According to the GTPCWU, the board chairman, together with two other board members named as Leon Kendon Apenteng and Edith Sapara-Grant, has hijacked TOR and is allegedly using it for personal gains and corrupt deals.

Addressing the press on Wednesday, Chairman of the Workers’ Union, Bernard Owusu, insisted that there is a need for President Akufo-Addo to dissolve the board of TOR since they have woefully failed in their mandate to find a capable strategic partner for the Ghana-owned oil refinery.

Bernard Owusu explains that the search for a strategic investor for TOR has become an avenue for the three board members to amass wealth for themselves and take over the state-owned entity through the creation of a special-purpose vehicle named Tema Energy and Processing Limited.

“It is surprising to read from the board’s press release that Torrenctco’s incorporation of a new Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) by the name “Tema Energy Processing Limited” was just to broaden its share base.., this entity (Torentco/TEPL) has connived with the TOR Board to find its way into TOR to create, loot and share by any means possible,” the chairman of the workers’ union alleged.

In view of what they describe as the ineptitude and incompetence of the three board members, the group says their continuous stay in office will continue to jeopardize the chances of reviving TOR hence demanding their immediate dismissal from the board.

Bernard Owusu said, "For the gross demonstration of incompetence by colluding and condoning a conflict of interest and chasing after a non-existing ghost in the shadow of a credible partner for almost two years, we plead that Leon Kendon Apenteng, Edith Sapara-Grant and David Adomako, the board chairman be removed from the TOR Board for lack of objectivity in decisions towards the search and identification of a credible partner for TOR."

But in response to the accusations by the workers’ union, the board chairman describes the allegations as baseless. He explains that the views of the chairman of the group are evident that he is misinformed on the subject or has some hidden agenda.

He added that Bernard Owusu does not represent the views of the majority of TOR workers, hence calling on the public to disregard his allegations.

David Adomakoh noted in his written statement to JoyNews that, “he [Bernard Owusu] is either misinformed or is on some agenda.

TOR rehabilitation is a very difficult exercise, and in the current environment, it is extremely difficult to find prospective partners interested in taking on the quantum of financial exposure necessary to bring about a lasting solution. I am quite confident that Mr. Owusu does not represent the views of the majority of workers who have a vested interest in the establishment of a sustainable solution.

“His motive is not clear to me, but he should understand that his misguided statements are very damaging to the prospects for finding a solution in the near term,” he added.