THE Deputy Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Omane Boamah, has indicated the government’s commitment to review the Minerals and Mining Act of 2006 to ensure safer environmental practices in mining companies.
He indicated that the reviewed bill also focuses on oil spillage and other environmental abrasions.
Dr Boamah said this at the inauguration of the SGS Monitoring and Analytical Services Laboratory in Tema.
Dr Boamah said the Minerals Act of 2006, which replaced the one passed by the PNDC limited the payment of royalties to six per cent and affected the livelihood of indigenes since mining companies did not allow for commercial farming on their concessions, and that was impacting negatively on such communities.
He expressed joy at the initiative of private enterprises such as SGS, which played leadership roles by investing in the environment and quality management standards. He called on mining communities to help safeguard the environment from pollution and depletion noting “if the environment is depleted, GDP growth is meaningless”.
He appealed to private and public laboratories to co-operate with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and his ministry to streamline their operations and asked the SGS to consider establishing another laboratory in the Western Region since transporting samples from the oil fields for testing in Tema could affect productivity.
The Managing Director of the SGS, Mr Dominique Gouvernayre, said the company’s role as a leading force in inspection, verification, testing and certification services provision could not be overemphasised.
He said the success achieved by the company’s geochemical laboratory which was constructed about 20 years ago engineered the setting up of the monitoring and analytical services laboratory.
Mr Gouvernayre said since its establishment the laboratory had undergone massive transformation and metamorphosed into a first-class international laboratory equipped with modern facilities.
The drive to address the concern of our needs and meet their demands as well as management’s decision to adopt quality systems has seen them moving miles to acquire the ISO 17025-2005 accreditation in July this year, Mr Gouvernayre said.
He added that the company would in future expand its operations into other sectors of the Ghanaian economy and readily provide expertise in the areas of oil and gas as well as sustainable environmental practices.
The newly opened laboratory is for the purposes of testing metals and analysing petroleum and petrochemical products.
The laboratory also analyses environmental, food, sampling inorganic, bacteria, waste water, soil, and feed samples.
Friday, September 11, 2009
MONA SHOWS CLASS AT TIGO OPEN (GRAPHIC SPORTS, PAGE 11)
MONA Myles-Lamptey, Ghana’s scratch queen, last Saturday showed class by beating over 200 golfers in this year’s tiGo Tema Open Championship played at the Tema Country Golf Club. She took home the giant trophy.
Mona of the Achimota Golf Club returned a gross score of 163, beating Grace Afriyie who played a gross of 168 to the second position, while visiting Vivienne Kouame from Cote d’Ivoire placed third with a score of 174.
Unknown Vincent Coffie from the Achimota Golf Club emerged the new king in the men’s scratch event with 139, score beating visiting Togolese Mawuli Richard and host club’s Ernest Opoku to the second and third positions respectively. They grossed 148 and 152 respectively.
Vincent Torgah failed to defend the title he won last year by placing third in the professionals 72 hole event, scoring 285.
Victor Brave-Mensah walked away with GH¢1,000 for placing first in the professional category, followed by young sensation, Kodwo Banni from Kumasi who took home GH¢650, while Torgah received GH¢500 for his efforts.
Lady Scientific Florence Etwi-Barimah, who is also known as “Old Soldier” among golfers following her exploits in the game, was on target in the ladies handicap event recording a net score of 144, beating veteran Adelaide Owusu-Adjepong (148) to second position and Margaret Addison (148) to third.
Frederick Boateng from Takoradi scored 144 in the men’s handicap, with MK Quarshie and Ashis Gajjar of Celebrity following in that order.
Bluffing Oswald Amuzu also of Celebrity who was tipped prior to the tournament to win could not live up to expectation.
President of Ghana Golfers Association, Dr Felix Frimpong, called for an improvement in the game so as to attract more people to appreciating the sport. He paid glowing tribute to Millicom Ghana Limited, operators of the tiGo network for sponsoring the event.
Outdoor manager of tiGo, Mr Bismark Odoom, pledged his outfit’s commitment to moving the sport to higher heights.
Manager of the Tema Country Golf Club, Mr Ebenezer Adablanu, said tiGo’s must be a shining exemple to all corporate world.
Mona of the Achimota Golf Club returned a gross score of 163, beating Grace Afriyie who played a gross of 168 to the second position, while visiting Vivienne Kouame from Cote d’Ivoire placed third with a score of 174.
Unknown Vincent Coffie from the Achimota Golf Club emerged the new king in the men’s scratch event with 139, score beating visiting Togolese Mawuli Richard and host club’s Ernest Opoku to the second and third positions respectively. They grossed 148 and 152 respectively.
Vincent Torgah failed to defend the title he won last year by placing third in the professionals 72 hole event, scoring 285.
Victor Brave-Mensah walked away with GH¢1,000 for placing first in the professional category, followed by young sensation, Kodwo Banni from Kumasi who took home GH¢650, while Torgah received GH¢500 for his efforts.
Lady Scientific Florence Etwi-Barimah, who is also known as “Old Soldier” among golfers following her exploits in the game, was on target in the ladies handicap event recording a net score of 144, beating veteran Adelaide Owusu-Adjepong (148) to second position and Margaret Addison (148) to third.
Frederick Boateng from Takoradi scored 144 in the men’s handicap, with MK Quarshie and Ashis Gajjar of Celebrity following in that order.
Bluffing Oswald Amuzu also of Celebrity who was tipped prior to the tournament to win could not live up to expectation.
President of Ghana Golfers Association, Dr Felix Frimpong, called for an improvement in the game so as to attract more people to appreciating the sport. He paid glowing tribute to Millicom Ghana Limited, operators of the tiGo network for sponsoring the event.
Outdoor manager of tiGo, Mr Bismark Odoom, pledged his outfit’s commitment to moving the sport to higher heights.
Manager of the Tema Country Golf Club, Mr Ebenezer Adablanu, said tiGo’s must be a shining exemple to all corporate world.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
SPEED WORK ON SISNGLE SPINE PAY POLICY (PAGE 31)
THE Executive Secretary of the Civil Servants Association of Ghana, Mr James Ekow Amissah, has called on the government to speed up work on the single spine salary pay policy ahead of its implementation in January 2010.
He made the call at a day’s workshop for members of the Tema chapter of the association.
Mr Amissah said the Ghana Universal Salary Structure developed by the PriceWaterHouse Coopers in 1996 and was subsequently implemented in 1999, had witnessed several distortions, culminating in workers associations, particularly those in the health sector, embarking on industrial actions.
He attributed the failure of the universal system to the inability of its administrators to remain firm on salary negotiations of workers and appealed to stakeholders to be forthright with concerns of members.
He, however, warned that the association would oppose the single spine structure, if it did not meet the expectations of workers.
A consultant to the association, Mr Daniel Amamoo, indicated that the proposed structure lacked guidelines following the absence of a clear policy on it.
He said the general implementation of the single spine structure would not benefit members of the association, hence the need to collate data and make inputs to the government for a redefinition of the proposed package.
He, therefore, called on members to voluntarily help in the data collation as the government was still awaiting recommendations across the board before the implementation of the new scheme.
The Tema Metropolitan Secretary of the association, Mr Alfred Ofoe Agbodaba, in his welcoming address, said the growing demand for high productivity from employers, as well as increased expectations on the part of workers, had necessitated the need for an educational seminar to sensitise members to the new proposal by the government.
He said the three-month seminar was meant for all civil servants across the 10 regions of the country.
Mr Agbodaba also told the participants that the association had also developed a savings and loans scheme as part of measures adopted to relieve members of the enormous pressures and challenges facing them.
He said non-due paying members of the association would not access the funds and urged all to genuinely contribute to the growth of the fund.
He made the call at a day’s workshop for members of the Tema chapter of the association.
Mr Amissah said the Ghana Universal Salary Structure developed by the PriceWaterHouse Coopers in 1996 and was subsequently implemented in 1999, had witnessed several distortions, culminating in workers associations, particularly those in the health sector, embarking on industrial actions.
He attributed the failure of the universal system to the inability of its administrators to remain firm on salary negotiations of workers and appealed to stakeholders to be forthright with concerns of members.
He, however, warned that the association would oppose the single spine structure, if it did not meet the expectations of workers.
A consultant to the association, Mr Daniel Amamoo, indicated that the proposed structure lacked guidelines following the absence of a clear policy on it.
He said the general implementation of the single spine structure would not benefit members of the association, hence the need to collate data and make inputs to the government for a redefinition of the proposed package.
He, therefore, called on members to voluntarily help in the data collation as the government was still awaiting recommendations across the board before the implementation of the new scheme.
The Tema Metropolitan Secretary of the association, Mr Alfred Ofoe Agbodaba, in his welcoming address, said the growing demand for high productivity from employers, as well as increased expectations on the part of workers, had necessitated the need for an educational seminar to sensitise members to the new proposal by the government.
He said the three-month seminar was meant for all civil servants across the 10 regions of the country.
Mr Agbodaba also told the participants that the association had also developed a savings and loans scheme as part of measures adopted to relieve members of the enormous pressures and challenges facing them.
He said non-due paying members of the association would not access the funds and urged all to genuinely contribute to the growth of the fund.
ALLEGED AMERICAN PAEDOPHILE ARRESTED..He's said to have defiled 8 children (1B)
Story: Della Russel Ocloo, Tema
A 65-year-old white American who is alleged to have defiled eight children at Adjomakope, near Sege in the Dangme East District, has been arrested and arraigned before the Tema Circuit Court.
The suspected paedophile, Patrick Ken Larbash, who denied the charge, has been remanded in custody to reappear on September 22, 2009.
According to the Tema Regional Co-ordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rebecca Nyamah, the suspect allegedly often lured the victims aged between three and 12 years to his residence on the pretext of providing them with food and candies.
In the process, he allegedly engaged the children in sexual encounters by stripping himself naked for the children to suck his genitals while a digital camera had been set up to record the act.
ASP Nyamah told the Daily Graphic in Tema that her outfit recently received complaints from the Greater Accra Regional office of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs of the suspect’s activities.
Following the complaints, the regional department organised a sensitisation workshop on the Domestic Violence Law, Act 723 for residents of Adjomakope.
At the end of the workshop, some children within the community narrated to the officials the ordeal they had been subjected to by the suspect.
Subsequently the officials lodged a complaint at DOVVSU, which investigated the matter leading to the arrest of the suspect.
The suspect in his cautioned statement denied the allegations. However, a search conducted in his room revealed a Nokia 6080 phone, a digital camera, a laptop, pen-drives and other recording gadgets containing pornographic materials showing him stripped naked and children sucking his genitals.
A 65-year-old white American who is alleged to have defiled eight children at Adjomakope, near Sege in the Dangme East District, has been arrested and arraigned before the Tema Circuit Court.
The suspected paedophile, Patrick Ken Larbash, who denied the charge, has been remanded in custody to reappear on September 22, 2009.
According to the Tema Regional Co-ordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rebecca Nyamah, the suspect allegedly often lured the victims aged between three and 12 years to his residence on the pretext of providing them with food and candies.
In the process, he allegedly engaged the children in sexual encounters by stripping himself naked for the children to suck his genitals while a digital camera had been set up to record the act.
ASP Nyamah told the Daily Graphic in Tema that her outfit recently received complaints from the Greater Accra Regional office of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs of the suspect’s activities.
Following the complaints, the regional department organised a sensitisation workshop on the Domestic Violence Law, Act 723 for residents of Adjomakope.
At the end of the workshop, some children within the community narrated to the officials the ordeal they had been subjected to by the suspect.
Subsequently the officials lodged a complaint at DOVVSU, which investigated the matter leading to the arrest of the suspect.
The suspect in his cautioned statement denied the allegations. However, a search conducted in his room revealed a Nokia 6080 phone, a digital camera, a laptop, pen-drives and other recording gadgets containing pornographic materials showing him stripped naked and children sucking his genitals.
Friday, September 4, 2009
ROUSING WELCOME FOR NEW EDUBIASE (PAGE 39)
NEW Edubiase Football Club has received a rousing welcome from their teeming supporters and residents in and around New Edubiase following their qualification to the Glo Premier League.
The municipality, which was decorated in the blue and yellow colours of the club, went agog when the team arrived home at the weekend.
Supporters met players and officials of the club on arrival at Assin Fosu amidst brass band music through the major towns along the main Assin Fosu-Obuasi highway.
The thick and uncontrollable crowd followed the team through some principal streets in New Edubiase till they arrived at the chief’s palace where they met Nana Asiamah Oguashie II.
Nana Asiamah congratulated the team on their qualification to the premiership and for bringing glory to Edubiaseman.
He revealed that the traditional authorities had allocated a large parcel of land to be developed into a mini-stadium which would be used as the club’s home venue.
He also pledged to assist the club to finance the project.
Nana Asiamah, however, cautioned the management and playing body not to be complacent about their qualification but rather strive to win more laurels.
The team will soon announce a sponsorship deal from a corporate institution in the country.
The municipality, which was decorated in the blue and yellow colours of the club, went agog when the team arrived home at the weekend.
Supporters met players and officials of the club on arrival at Assin Fosu amidst brass band music through the major towns along the main Assin Fosu-Obuasi highway.
The thick and uncontrollable crowd followed the team through some principal streets in New Edubiase till they arrived at the chief’s palace where they met Nana Asiamah Oguashie II.
Nana Asiamah congratulated the team on their qualification to the premiership and for bringing glory to Edubiaseman.
He revealed that the traditional authorities had allocated a large parcel of land to be developed into a mini-stadium which would be used as the club’s home venue.
He also pledged to assist the club to finance the project.
Nana Asiamah, however, cautioned the management and playing body not to be complacent about their qualification but rather strive to win more laurels.
The team will soon announce a sponsorship deal from a corporate institution in the country.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
TIGO GOLF OPEN SATURDAY , DAILY GRAPHIC (PAGE 47)
THE Tema Country Golf Club will stage the annual tiGo Tema Open Championship this weekend.
The competition, which is the club’s flagship event, seeks to re-enact the rivalry among the top guns such as Baba Akologo, Vincent Torgah and Eric Henaku at the professional level.
Captain of Tema Golf Club, Kwaku Okyere, and his vice, Dr Paul Owusu Baah, will lead the home team against the Achimota squad which is expected to be captained by Mike Aggrey, with the Celebrity team being led by Pierre Coussey.
More than 100 golfers have already signed up for the competition.
Geoffrey Avornyotse, Joe Ampofo, Akwasi Poku who spoke to the Daily Graphic at separate interviews expressed optimism to carry the day but Oswald Amuzu and Renne Kwame have called off their bluff.
Sponsors, Millicom Ghana Ltd, operators of tiGo mobile network believe the sponsorship is their contribution towards making the sport great in the country.
The competition, which is the club’s flagship event, seeks to re-enact the rivalry among the top guns such as Baba Akologo, Vincent Torgah and Eric Henaku at the professional level.
Captain of Tema Golf Club, Kwaku Okyere, and his vice, Dr Paul Owusu Baah, will lead the home team against the Achimota squad which is expected to be captained by Mike Aggrey, with the Celebrity team being led by Pierre Coussey.
More than 100 golfers have already signed up for the competition.
Geoffrey Avornyotse, Joe Ampofo, Akwasi Poku who spoke to the Daily Graphic at separate interviews expressed optimism to carry the day but Oswald Amuzu and Renne Kwame have called off their bluff.
Sponsors, Millicom Ghana Ltd, operators of tiGo mobile network believe the sponsorship is their contribution towards making the sport great in the country.
COCAINE VESSEL HELD AT TEMA , DAILY GRAPHIC, Front Page(1b)
Story: Rose Hayfron Darko & Della Russel Ocloo, Tema
A Joint operation by the National Security, the police, the Narcotic Control Board and the Port Security has led to the discovery of five bags of substance suspected to be cocaine on board a Panaminian vessel which docked with cargo later found to be sugar from Brazil.
A Filipino crew member whose identity is yet to be established was alleged to have committed suicide after the discovery of the cocaine.
The 23 crew members, as well as the ship, have been placed under security guard to avoid any intrusion.
The area around Berth Three, where the vessel MV St Eferm docked yesterday afternoon, was cordoned off and declared a security zone.
Information gathered at the port indicated that Agency Global Cargo and Commodities based in Tema was the local agent for the vessel.
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the incident in Tema, the Chairman of the NACOB Board, Captain Assassie Gyimah (retd), said the vessel arrived in the country 10 days ago but was able to berth yesterday afternoon only for the security to discover the bags of the substance suspected to be cocaine.
He said the substance looked like sugar and, therefore, required expertise of officials of the security agencies and NACOB to detect the substance.
He said the vessel, flying a Panamanian flag, carried 14,000 tonnes of sugar from Brazil.
Captain Gyimah said security search during the joint operation at about 5.30 p.m. uncovered five parcels of whitish substances believed to be cocaine.
Meanwhile the body of the Filipino crew member has been conveyed to a mortuary in Accra for further examination and autopsy.
A Joint operation by the National Security, the police, the Narcotic Control Board and the Port Security has led to the discovery of five bags of substance suspected to be cocaine on board a Panaminian vessel which docked with cargo later found to be sugar from Brazil.
A Filipino crew member whose identity is yet to be established was alleged to have committed suicide after the discovery of the cocaine.
The 23 crew members, as well as the ship, have been placed under security guard to avoid any intrusion.
The area around Berth Three, where the vessel MV St Eferm docked yesterday afternoon, was cordoned off and declared a security zone.
Information gathered at the port indicated that Agency Global Cargo and Commodities based in Tema was the local agent for the vessel.
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the incident in Tema, the Chairman of the NACOB Board, Captain Assassie Gyimah (retd), said the vessel arrived in the country 10 days ago but was able to berth yesterday afternoon only for the security to discover the bags of the substance suspected to be cocaine.
He said the substance looked like sugar and, therefore, required expertise of officials of the security agencies and NACOB to detect the substance.
He said the vessel, flying a Panamanian flag, carried 14,000 tonnes of sugar from Brazil.
Captain Gyimah said security search during the joint operation at about 5.30 p.m. uncovered five parcels of whitish substances believed to be cocaine.
Meanwhile the body of the Filipino crew member has been conveyed to a mortuary in Accra for further examination and autopsy.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
UNKNOWN AYORNU STROLLS TO LIPTON GOLF TRIUMPH (GRAPHIC SPORTS PAGE 11)
Golf’s Lady Scientific Florence Etwi-Barimah and an unknown Solomon Korley Ayornu, turned on the style last Saturday at the Tema Country Golf Course when they over powered a field of 70 golfers to win the second edition of the Lipton Golf Championship in the female and male categories respectively.
Ayornu dethroned last year’s winner Ernest Opoku in the monthly medal play with a net score of 69 to win the competition in the one-day 18 hole event.
Ebenezer Moore score a net of 71 to place second by beating Joshua Peprah on count-back.
Etwi-Barimah, on the other hand was in her elements when she retained the trophy she won in the maiden edition with a net scored of 75 beating Grace Amoah who scored 79 on count-back to beat Esther Antwi to the third position.
They each received a trophy and sponsors souvenirs.
Manager of the Club, Mr Ebenezer Adablanu, expressed gratitude to Unilever for the initiative and called for greater support from other corporate organisations and the National Sports Council to take the sport to higher heights.
Mr Akofa Atta, head of Brand Building at Unilever indicated that Lipton was prepared to sponsor programmes and events that were in line with it’s vision.
Ayornu dethroned last year’s winner Ernest Opoku in the monthly medal play with a net score of 69 to win the competition in the one-day 18 hole event.
Ebenezer Moore score a net of 71 to place second by beating Joshua Peprah on count-back.
Etwi-Barimah, on the other hand was in her elements when she retained the trophy she won in the maiden edition with a net scored of 75 beating Grace Amoah who scored 79 on count-back to beat Esther Antwi to the third position.
They each received a trophy and sponsors souvenirs.
Manager of the Club, Mr Ebenezer Adablanu, expressed gratitude to Unilever for the initiative and called for greater support from other corporate organisations and the National Sports Council to take the sport to higher heights.
Mr Akofa Atta, head of Brand Building at Unilever indicated that Lipton was prepared to sponsor programmes and events that were in line with it’s vision.
TOR CRISIS...Govt intervenes (LEAD STORY) DAILY GRAPHIC,1st SEP, 2009
Story: Kofi Yeboah & Della Russel Ocloo
A FOUR-MAN team comprising the Chief of Staff, two ministers and the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, has been set up to rescue the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) from its huge indebtedness and ensure regular supply of crude to the refinery.
Mr John Martey Newman, the Chief of Staff, and Dr Paul Acquah, the central bank governor, would work with Dr Kwabena Duffuor, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, and the Energy Minister, Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, in restoring the balance sheet of TOR in order to reduce its huge debt, as well as managing its crude oil supply.
Over the past four months, TOR has been facing some serious challenges with respect to financial capacity and procurement of crude oil in addition to internal agitation from its work force.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the acting Chief Executive of TOR, Dr Kwame Ampofo, admitted that the refinery was indebted to the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) alone to the tune of GH¢900 million, rendering it impossible now for the refinery to establish new letters of credit to procure crude oil.
The chief executive was reacting to concerns raised by some TOR workers about management’s inability to import crude oil since the beginning of the year, thus allowing major suppliers to procure finished products at exorbitant prices for the refinery.
He said the debt portfolio, which some financial analysts said could cripple the largest commercial bank in the country, was the main challenge confronting the company.
And to address the urgency of the situation, the Minister of Energy, Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the presidential team, set up two weeks ago to salvage TOR from its predicament, had held talks with officials of TOR and GCB to discuss how the refinery could clear its indebtedness to GCB without derailing its (TOR's) normal function.
He said with respect to the financial challenge, the team was holding discussions with two banks, whose names he preferred keeping close to his chest, "because when you are in the process of negotiation, you don't want to mention names".
On the regular supply of crude oil for TOR, Dr Oteng-Adjei said for now the team had three main options, namely, Nigeria, Libya and Venezuela, from where the product could be sourced.
He said the idea was to ensure that if one of them was unable to supply crude oil to TOR, the refinery could always fall on the others for supply, thereby reducing the probability of non-availability of crude oil.
Inaugurating the board of TOR last June, the Energy Minister expressed concern about inefficiencies within the company, citing them as partly responsible for its high indebtedness.
The minister also expressed concern about the high rate of theft at TOR in spite of the presence of security personnel and close-circuit television cameras (CCTVs).
However, responding to a question on how the issue had been or was being addressed, Dr Oteng-Adjei said, "Once we clear the policy issue, we can sit back to look at the inefficiencies."
The workers of TOR had also raised concerns about a pending policy to lay some of them off due to the challenges facing the refinery and which they claimed had led to the shutdown of the refinery’s plants for the past four months.
But Dr Ampofo said all procurement was being done in accordance with the country’s procurement laws and added that documents to that effect existed, though he did not make them readily available.
The workers had maintained that as a result of the company’s inability to import crude oil, a loss of $300,000 a day is incurred at TOR following the shutdown of the Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC) Plant.
But Dr Ampofo dismissed those claims saying they were mere fabrications. He also denied that the RFCC plant was not working.
He explained that the debt rose steeply when the plant developed a fault in February and was shut down for four months to allow for maintenance works and said the plant had been in operation sine June following the completion of maintenance works.
The workers also hinted that five key technical personnel at the RFCC and the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) departments had so far resigned and left for refineries in Vietnam and Oman. They also accused the TOR board of financially overburdening the company by sitting too frequently since its inauguration in June this year to take big sitting allowances in addition to fuel allocations.
On the sitting allowances for board members, the chief executive admitted that they were paid GH¢520 per sitting as stated by the workers but added that the rates were fixed by the old board.
“Since we came we have not done any adjustments to the figures and I have not received any allowance myself since assuming office in June,” he added.
When asked on the purchase of crude oil for TOR by agents in small quantities, Dr Ampofo admitted the claim but was quick to explain that since the quantities delivered by the agents were small, they were usually stored in tanks until the volumes became bigger and then later refined.
He further explained that if small quantities of crude oil were refined, it strained the plant.
As regards salary negotiations, he said they had not stalled as was being alleged, adding that they were suspended because the local union wanted some information from the government, which was yet to be delivered. As soon as that information was made available, the negotiations would resume.
On the issue of leave allowance, Dr Ampofo said he personally signed vouchers for staff members who were about to proceed on leave to enable them to be paid their allowances and was, therefore, surprised that anyone would claim not to have been paid.
On the issue of a board member driving a car belonging to TOR, he denied knowledge and explain that “the member came to a meeting once and could not find his key. Maybe the transport officer gave him a car to use until he found his car key. But I am not aware of this,” he said.
Dr Ampofo said the refinery was failing in its bid to establish letters of credit to procure crude oil because of the huge debts it owed to the Ghana Commercial Bank, adding that current indebtedness to the bank stood at about GH¢900 million or one trillion old cedis.
He said all procurement was being done in accordance with the country’s procurement laws and added that documents to that effect existed.
Further investigations revealed that the refinery was also gripped with the award of contracts without adhering to the country’s procurement laws out of which a total of $15million has been paid in instalment through Barclays Bank Ghana with the fifth and sixth progress payments effected on July 14, 2008 to account number 00919, resource asset management, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Calgary, Alberta although work on the project has halted for the past eight months following the claim by the contractor, Mr John Edward, that he had not received payment and therefore needed more funding from TOR management to help him complete the project.
Further investigations also revealed that a steam generator which is also to be installed for which a stand has been mounted is currently in the United States of America whilst the contractor is demanding $55,000 from TOR as shipment costs to help transport down the generator for installation.
A FOUR-MAN team comprising the Chief of Staff, two ministers and the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, has been set up to rescue the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) from its huge indebtedness and ensure regular supply of crude to the refinery.
Mr John Martey Newman, the Chief of Staff, and Dr Paul Acquah, the central bank governor, would work with Dr Kwabena Duffuor, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, and the Energy Minister, Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, in restoring the balance sheet of TOR in order to reduce its huge debt, as well as managing its crude oil supply.
Over the past four months, TOR has been facing some serious challenges with respect to financial capacity and procurement of crude oil in addition to internal agitation from its work force.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the acting Chief Executive of TOR, Dr Kwame Ampofo, admitted that the refinery was indebted to the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) alone to the tune of GH¢900 million, rendering it impossible now for the refinery to establish new letters of credit to procure crude oil.
The chief executive was reacting to concerns raised by some TOR workers about management’s inability to import crude oil since the beginning of the year, thus allowing major suppliers to procure finished products at exorbitant prices for the refinery.
He said the debt portfolio, which some financial analysts said could cripple the largest commercial bank in the country, was the main challenge confronting the company.
And to address the urgency of the situation, the Minister of Energy, Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the presidential team, set up two weeks ago to salvage TOR from its predicament, had held talks with officials of TOR and GCB to discuss how the refinery could clear its indebtedness to GCB without derailing its (TOR's) normal function.
He said with respect to the financial challenge, the team was holding discussions with two banks, whose names he preferred keeping close to his chest, "because when you are in the process of negotiation, you don't want to mention names".
On the regular supply of crude oil for TOR, Dr Oteng-Adjei said for now the team had three main options, namely, Nigeria, Libya and Venezuela, from where the product could be sourced.
He said the idea was to ensure that if one of them was unable to supply crude oil to TOR, the refinery could always fall on the others for supply, thereby reducing the probability of non-availability of crude oil.
Inaugurating the board of TOR last June, the Energy Minister expressed concern about inefficiencies within the company, citing them as partly responsible for its high indebtedness.
The minister also expressed concern about the high rate of theft at TOR in spite of the presence of security personnel and close-circuit television cameras (CCTVs).
However, responding to a question on how the issue had been or was being addressed, Dr Oteng-Adjei said, "Once we clear the policy issue, we can sit back to look at the inefficiencies."
The workers of TOR had also raised concerns about a pending policy to lay some of them off due to the challenges facing the refinery and which they claimed had led to the shutdown of the refinery’s plants for the past four months.
But Dr Ampofo said all procurement was being done in accordance with the country’s procurement laws and added that documents to that effect existed, though he did not make them readily available.
The workers had maintained that as a result of the company’s inability to import crude oil, a loss of $300,000 a day is incurred at TOR following the shutdown of the Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC) Plant.
But Dr Ampofo dismissed those claims saying they were mere fabrications. He also denied that the RFCC plant was not working.
He explained that the debt rose steeply when the plant developed a fault in February and was shut down for four months to allow for maintenance works and said the plant had been in operation sine June following the completion of maintenance works.
The workers also hinted that five key technical personnel at the RFCC and the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) departments had so far resigned and left for refineries in Vietnam and Oman. They also accused the TOR board of financially overburdening the company by sitting too frequently since its inauguration in June this year to take big sitting allowances in addition to fuel allocations.
On the sitting allowances for board members, the chief executive admitted that they were paid GH¢520 per sitting as stated by the workers but added that the rates were fixed by the old board.
“Since we came we have not done any adjustments to the figures and I have not received any allowance myself since assuming office in June,” he added.
When asked on the purchase of crude oil for TOR by agents in small quantities, Dr Ampofo admitted the claim but was quick to explain that since the quantities delivered by the agents were small, they were usually stored in tanks until the volumes became bigger and then later refined.
He further explained that if small quantities of crude oil were refined, it strained the plant.
As regards salary negotiations, he said they had not stalled as was being alleged, adding that they were suspended because the local union wanted some information from the government, which was yet to be delivered. As soon as that information was made available, the negotiations would resume.
On the issue of leave allowance, Dr Ampofo said he personally signed vouchers for staff members who were about to proceed on leave to enable them to be paid their allowances and was, therefore, surprised that anyone would claim not to have been paid.
On the issue of a board member driving a car belonging to TOR, he denied knowledge and explain that “the member came to a meeting once and could not find his key. Maybe the transport officer gave him a car to use until he found his car key. But I am not aware of this,” he said.
Dr Ampofo said the refinery was failing in its bid to establish letters of credit to procure crude oil because of the huge debts it owed to the Ghana Commercial Bank, adding that current indebtedness to the bank stood at about GH¢900 million or one trillion old cedis.
He said all procurement was being done in accordance with the country’s procurement laws and added that documents to that effect existed.
Further investigations revealed that the refinery was also gripped with the award of contracts without adhering to the country’s procurement laws out of which a total of $15million has been paid in instalment through Barclays Bank Ghana with the fifth and sixth progress payments effected on July 14, 2008 to account number 00919, resource asset management, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Calgary, Alberta although work on the project has halted for the past eight months following the claim by the contractor, Mr John Edward, that he had not received payment and therefore needed more funding from TOR management to help him complete the project.
Further investigations also revealed that a steam generator which is also to be installed for which a stand has been mounted is currently in the United States of America whilst the contractor is demanding $55,000 from TOR as shipment costs to help transport down the generator for installation.
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