The management of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has denied media reports that about 40 Bulk Road Vehicles (BRVs) with fake foreign number plates load fuel mostly on Saturdays and on holidays at night at the TOR Depot, as published in the Daily Guide.

A statement signed by Dr Kingsley Antwi-Boasiako, Public Affairs Manager of TOR, said: “ Our attention has been drawn to a publication in the Tuesday, October 03, 2017 edition of the Daily Guide under the headline, ‘TOR Fuel Smugglers Exposed’. In the said story, it was stated that about 40 Bulk Road Vehicles (BRVs) with fake foreign number plates load fuel mostly on Saturdays and on holidays at night at the TOR Depot.

“The story stated that these BRVs load under the pretext of exporting the products to neighbouring countries only to divert them for sale at their various yards. The story also inaccurately mentioned that the current MD, Isaac Osei, is aware of this illegality but has refused to act on it. The management of TOR would like to state that the above statement and other similar ones made in the said story are fictitious, and must therefore be taken with a pinch of salt.”

The statement added: “It is also instructive to note that monitoring of the movement of Bulk Road Vehicles in the country does not fall under the ambit of TOR but the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), which is carrying out its duties in accordance with the law.

“We wish to state that Isaac Osei is a fine statesman who would not indulge in, or entertain any form of illegality, particularly under his watch as the Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery. This is unmistakably manifested in the sterling record of his achievements in the various positions he has held both in the private and public sectors.

“We would also like to place on record that the refinery has been on shut-down maintenance since March 2017 after the explosion of one of its furnaces in January. As a result, TOR does not currently own any product aside from LPG Gas, and that all other products are only being held in trust for their owners. Consequently, TOR finds the concept of ‘internal fuel smuggling’ quite difficult to comprehend since all products are released according to the wishes of their owners.

“TOR would like to assure all Ghanaians that its management, under the leadership of Isaac Osei, would ensure that all activities that go on at the nation’s refinery are in line with ethical standards and in accordance with the law.”