The LPG Marketers Association of Ghana and the Ghana LPG Operators Association (GLIPOA) have accused the National Petroleum Authority's (NPA) Communications Manager, Mohammed Abdul-Kudus, of engaging in "unfortunate and deliberate" attempts to tarnish the reputation of LPG refill stations nationwide.

In a statement issued by the Associations, they expressed deep concern over Abdul-Kudus’s recent comment on Adom FM, where he claimed that the government’s Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) was designed to eliminate cheating at LPG refill stations.

The Associations argue that these comments are misleading and serve to unjustly pit consumers against operators within the LPG sub-sector.

The LPG Marketers Association and GLIPOA stated that the CRM policy, introduced by the government to improve access to LPG by 50% by 2030, has nothing to do with allegations of cheating.

"If today he is stating the main objective is to eliminate cheating then the government and NPA have lied to all stakeholders," they stated.

The Associations pointed out that the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA), which is responsible for standardization and calibration, conducts regular inspections of the over 768 LPG refill stations nationwide.

They said there has been no report from the GSA indicating malpractice or cheating by these stations and challenged Abdul-Kudus to provide any evidence to support his claims.

The Associations defended the integrity of the LPG sector, noting that each LPG station is equipped with calibrated and certified dispensers and weighing scales, inspected regularly by the GSA.

"Any customer who visits an LPG Retail Station can see for themselves the quantity of product dispensed into their cylinders. Also, for purposes of verifying the quantity dispensed, the cylinder can be weighed right in the presence of the customer," the statement clarified.

In light of these facts, the LPG Marketers Association and GLIPOA are demanding a retraction of the statement made by Abdul-Kudus and a formal apology to both the Ghana Standard Authority and the owners of LPG refill stations.

While reiterating their support for the government’s CRM policy, the associations called for a level playing field for all stakeholders involved.

They urged the media to address what they described as misinformation spread by the NPA, stressing their commitment to protecting the reputation and interests of their members.