NPP will be a listening gov't – TOR staff

Workers of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) have expressed confidence that the incoming government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will be a listening one which will address their concerns, John Ebo Botwe, Chairman of the Senior and Junior Staff Association of TOR, has said.

Speaking on Ghana Yensom, hosted by Chief Jerry Forson on Accra100.5FM on Friday January 6, he said the management of the nation’s only oil refinery must be devoid of political interference to ensure that it works to meet the purpose for its establishment.

He said: “For us workers at TOR, we don’t do politics and so we think management of TOR should be devoid of politics. Given the type of business we do, when there is too much political interference it affects the workers and the economy in general.

“So, we are just pleading that the powers that be should know that the refinery is a strategic asset. If it is free of politics, at least we can have good profit. The current managing director (Kwame Awuah Darko) has showed that leadership style – although he encountered some political interference, he has made sure the company runs. For us the workers, if you sing a political song and the company will run, we don’t have a problem. But our problem is whereby the company has to stop for somebody to use our facilities and we will be sitting idle due to politics. This time TOR workers will not allow that to happen.”

He disclosed that TOR staff were happy with the imminent appointment of a new boss – widely believed to be Mr Isaac Osei – because of his track record.

He stated: “We know that the incoming government is a listening government. We have heard there will soon be a new MD for us and we are ready for him because we know him from afar, we know that he is somebody who is business-minded, we know all that he did with COCOBOD, we know his history and we are delighted about it and we are hoping and praying that he would live up to expectation.”