The Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company (GCMC) has raised concerns over household safety, revealing that a significant proportion of gas cylinders submitted for refurbishment under the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) are unfit for continued use.

According to the company, nearly 30 per cent of cylinders presented for inspection and refurbishment were found to be defective, highlighting growing safety risks in households across the country.

Management of GCMC warned that the continued use of faulty cylinders poses a serious threat to lives and property, with increased risks of gas leaks, fires and explosions, some of which have previously caused devastating incidents in communities.

Speaking to journalists, the Managing Director of GCMC, Abdul-Rahman Mankir, stressed the need to expand the implementation of the CRM beyond its current operational areas to improve safety outcomes nationwide.

He noted that the model is currently being implemented in Accra, Kumasi and Tema, adding that nationwide expansion, combined with intensified public education, would strengthen compliance and improve safety.

He further observed that awareness of the initiative remains low in some areas, including parts of Accra, and said broader education campaigns in partnership with the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) would help increase public participation.

The Cylinder Recirculation Model, championed by the NPA, is designed to ensure that Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders are regularly inspected, maintained and replaced when necessary.

Under the system, consumers exchange empty cylinders for certified and filled ones at designated points, rather than refilling their own cylinders at fuel stations.