The Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, says Ghana’s fuel specifications, which are set at Sulphur content of 50 parts per million (ppm) in fuel is the cleanest in the West African sub-region.

Dr. Abdul-Hamid was speaking as a panelist on “Downstream Decarbonisation and Circularity – Going Full Circle” at the Egypt Energy Show in Cairo, Egypt.

He said that calls on government by civil society organizations and the public to adhere to the decarbonisation objectives and the protection of the environment caused the policy change in Ghana to reduce the Sulphur content in fuel to 50 ppm.

The NPA Chief Executive, who is also the President of the African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA), said Ghana is changing the LPG distribution model to improve clean cooking across the country. He said series of accidents at LPG refilling stations in the past, the need to improve upon the environment, prevent deforestation and improve upon the lives of rural women especially have made the new LPG distribution model called the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) more imperative.

He emphasized that the CRM will enhance access to LPG, as exchange points are being constructed across the country.

He added that government’s LPG for Development Programme aims at achieving a 50 percent penetration of LPG in households across the country by 2030. Dr. Abdul-Hamid disclosed that government provides free LPG cylinders to poor households in rural areas under the programme.

He said people could not afford cylinders and Cookstoves in the first place, and that informed their reliance on wood fuels.

Besides, the NPA Boss said the government has ordered 100 electric-powered buses for the Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMT) as a way of showing an example in the energy transition agenda.

Dr. Abdul-Hamid also highlighted government’s policy for state institutions to be powered by solar. He indicated that an incentive has been given to private individuals who want to power their institutions and houses on solar.

Dr. Abdul-Hamid lauded the freedom of speech in Ghana which encourages civil society organizations and the general public to the agenda towards cleaner energy in the country.