Major Shake-Up at Tema Oil Refinery as President Mahama Appoints New Managing Director

• President John Mahama has appointed a new Managing Director to take charge of the Tema Oil Refinery
• The appointment comes barely two months after he named Yussif Sulemana as the MD for the oil instutution
• Netizens had mixed reactions, with some applauding the appointment and others criticising the Presidency

President John Dramani Mahama has appointed a new Acting Managing Director (MD) at the Tema Oil Refinery.

Deputy MD, Edmond Kombat, has been nominated to lead the institution, which has struggled to stand on its feet for many years.

He succeeds the former Managing Director, Dr Yussif Sulemana, who has been reassigned from his role as TOR MD to serve as a Technical Advisor at the Energy Ministry.

Kombat's appointment comes barely two months after President Mahama named his predecessor in February 2025.

Sulemana succeeded Kofi Tagoe Mocumbi, who held the role under the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) is Ghana’s only oil refinery, situated in the industrial city of Tema, about 25 kilometres east of Accra.

TOR plays a vital role in Ghana’s energy sector by processing crude oil into refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and kerosene for domestic and industrial use.

However, for some years, it has been saddled with challenges, including financial debts owing to mismanagement, inefficiencies, and legacy debts.

Other problems include frequent halts in production due to maintenance issues or lack of crude oil supply, and political interference such as changes in government often coming with leadership reshuffles, affecting long-term planning.

President Mahama believes this shake-up in the leadership of the Tema Oil Refinery will significantly improve its conditions and help the institution stand on its feet.

The X post confirming Edmond Kombat's appointment as TOD MD is below:

Netizens divided over latest TOR appointment

Netizens who saw the post about the new appointment have expressed mixed reactions. While some lauded it, others questioned why a new MD has been named barely two months after one took office.

YEN.com.gh has compiled some of these reactions below:

@ricword4u wrote:

"The things I know about this change, if I say them things go happen. Suffice to say that ‘Aboa bi bɛka wo, na ɔshɛ combat boots."

@QUAQU_DAN wrote:

"That's great... It seems he is so brilliant on that field and the Energy Minister would need his expertise at the ministry."

@JskytyEvans wrote:

"Everybody go 😁😁😁😁😁 na your money 💴 not be Ghana 🇬🇭 money."

@AppiahKwab38882 wrote:

"Things is not adding up,they should explain."

Joy FM’s Emefa Apawu lands juicy appointment

Earlier, YEN.com.gh also reported that renowned Ghanaian broadcaster Emefa Apawu was appopinted under President Mahama's administration.

The Joy News media boffin was appointed to serve at the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC) and shared the news on social media.

However, netizens who saw the post about Emefa's latest role in the Mahama administration expressed mixed reactions in the comments section.

Source: YEN.com.gh