The first LPG bottling plant will begin operation by end of the year, Deputy Minister of energy, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, said at a stakeholder’s engagement on the cylinder recirculation model. 

Speaking at the engagement, Dr Amin Adam said the model will be solely owned and maintained by Ghanaians under the local content law. 

He asked the public to be ready to adapt to this new policy.

“This new policy will be for Ghanaians and no other person. We must transition from the old to the new. Change is very important to growth especially if it is a positive one. We know Ghanaians are used to owning their own cylinders. But this new policy won’t work that way – he stated at the stakeholder engagement,” he stated.

Also, Chief Executive Office for the National Petroleum Authority, Hassan Tampoli, has asked for more consultations with civil society and the general public for the smooth execution of the policy. To him, “broader consultations will help shape out a more conducive and appropriate policy for all”.

Meanwhile, second lady, Samira Bawumia – who graced the occasion as the guest speaker was hopeful consultations as had at the meeting would shore up public interest in the cylinder recirculation module.

The National Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Policy seeks to provide direction on marketing and distribution of LPG in a safe and efficient manner as well as facilitate an increase in access to LPG nationwide. 

The goal of the policy is to ensure that at least 50 per cent of Ghanaians have access to safe, clean and environmentally friendly LPG for increased domestic, commercial and industrial usage by 2030.

PILOTING CRM IN KUMASI

Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, charged the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), to use Kumasi as the first point for the implementation of the Cylinder Re-circulation Model (CRM).

He said this was as a result of the number of high risk liquefied petroleum gas stations located in the densely populated Kumasi metropolis after the NPA undertook a risk assessment exercise this year.

More than 250 Ghanaians have died from gas explosions in the past ten years. A little over 50 per cent of the figure was recorded between 2015 and 2017.

Ghanaians have blamed the explosions on the failure of authorities to augment up the safety of gas refill plants across the country. Authorities have further been accused of failing to clamp down on the haphazard siting of gas and other fuel stations in residential areas.