The Government has denied suggestions by workers of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) that President Mills issued a directive granting the refinery the sole mandate to procure crude oil into the country. Union leaders told journalists on Tuesday Energy Minister Dr. Oteng Adjei is engaged in underhand dealings in disregard of a presidential directive by allowing the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) to usurp TOR’s mandate. But Deputy Information Minister James Agyenim Boateng says the workers got it all wrong. The workers, led by their spokesperson Gideon Avogbedor accused the Energy Minister of allegedly overturning President Mills' directive for GNPC to focus on its core mandate of exploration instead of supplying crude oil to the refinery. According to them, the situation has worsened the dwindling fortunes of the refinery and demanded the minister’s dismissal. “If the president of this country has given a directive, why should he go behind the president’s directive to give a counter directive,” Mr Avegbedor said. However, Acting Managing Director of TOR, Dr Kwame Ampofo, says the workers’ demands are unjustified. Dr Ampofo said the workers misunderstood the president’s directive. “Through our interactions, I made them understand that in the near future, we will be having the opportunity to take control of our own affairs in terms of crude supplies, crude refinery and control of the product,” Dr Ampofo said. Mr Agyenim Boateng added that currently the GNPC is the entity mandated to lift the country-to-country crude from Nigeria. However, he pointed out that does not prevent TOR from procuring its own crude or from other suppliers. But a financial consultant says the GNPC’s mandate under the law must be clearly spelt out to avoid situations like these. Sidney Casely Hayford, who has been following the developments at TOR, says there is no clarity on where GNPC’s role ends. Source: Joy Business/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana