50% of Ghanaians to access safe LPG usage –NPA assures

The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) is to ensure that at least 50% of Ghanaians have access to safe LPG usage for domestic, commercial and industrial purpose by 2030.

At a Conference in Accra, on March 8, 2019, the National Petroleum Authority engaged the media, stakeholders and guests on the National Liquefied Petroleum Gas Policy and the Cylinder Recirculation Model.

The programme was themed, ”CRM: Creating more jobs, securing our safety”.

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

The Cylinder Recirculation model is the LPG distribution model which involves filling of LPG cylinders at bottling plants and supplying the filled cylinders to consumers at specialized retail outlets known as exchange points, where the consumer exchanges his/her empty cylinder for a filled one.

This follows an LPG explosion at Mansco Refilling point at Atomic Junction in Accra on October 7 2017.  Following the incident, the government directed a number of actions including the implementation of the National LPG policy on October 12, 2017, through the Cylinder Recirculation Model of LPG distribution.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam assured Ghanaians of their jobs, saying the introduction of the policy will not push existing players out of their businesses.

According to him,”5,010 stations across the country has been classified high-risk stations and will be converted to cylinder distribution centres, whilst those classified as low-risk stations will be considered as autogas centres to improve standards”

Adding to that he said: ”Those worried about job security have no cause of alarm we are only changing the manner in which LPG is to be distributed and consumed in the country”.

Dr. Amin Adam added that the new initiative will provide an opportunity for new players to join the value chain, bottling plants players, LPG filling cylinder transporters and Cylinder distributors.

Deputy Energy Minister noted that the first bottling plant will be operational this year (2019).

The Special guest of honour Second Lady of the Republic, Samira Bawumia said: “This initiative is a laudable one, and I urge consumers to patronize LPG since it saves time. Because of horrifying explosions in the past, consumers resorted to charcoal and firewood, that is not sustainable and has negative consequences on productivity, health and environment”.

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The Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority, Mr Alhassan Tampuli said with the implementation of CRM they envision that they will add not less than 4,500 more jobs to the job market.