President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned the Sentuo Oil Refinery (SOR) under the 1D1F policy on Friday in Tema.
President Akufo-Addo acknowledged the challenges facing the country’s only oil refinery, Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and said the government was committed to bringing TOR back on stream “so together with Sentuo, the country’s oil will be refined domestically.
The President said the establishment of the Sentuo Oil Refinery is an indication of the government’s commitment to reducing dependency, achieving self-sufficiency and driving the growth of Ghana’s domestic petroleum industry.
He said the refinery is a significant milestone in the country’s drive towards energy independence, industrialisation and a vibrant economy that would create more jobs and prosperity.
Acknowledging the effort of the Chinese promoter, he said Mr. Xu Ning Quan’s collective effort over the past fifteen years has not just culminated in the strengthening of the industrialisation agenda of the government with the setting up of the refinery but also with the February 2018 commissioning of the Fujian Sentuo Ceramic Company Limited, a ceramic tile production company working under the 1 District, 1 Factory policy.
This refinery, the President added, would not only provide the country’s fuel needs but create employment, empower local communities and drive investments and related industries, contributing to the country’s realisation of its vision of industrialisation.
“By processing the country’s crude oil domestically, we are creating opportunities to add value, transform raw materials into finished products and increase the competitiveness of our manufacturing sector, the President noted.
Sentuo Oil Refinery was conceived from the Chinese government’s Belt and Road Development Strategy for the oil and gas industry in China & Africa.
Following extensive research and consultations, the Sentuo Group settled on Shanghai HoTo Engineering’s oil refinery technology.
Phase I, which was completed in October 2022, had an initial production capacity of two million tons per year. Phase II of the Sentuo Oil Refinery, completed in January 2024, will operate at a capacity of five million tons per year.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
