Stakeholders at a forum on the Cylinder Re-circulation Model (CRM) have appealed to the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to ensure that the CRM does not lead to increases in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). This formed part of the concerns raised by stakeholders at a forum on the CRM organised by the NPA in Tamale. The forum offered NPA the opportunity to explain the National LPG Policy and the CRM to participants and take suggestions, which would help shape the policy into one that would be acceptable to the consuming public.
CRM is the implementation model for the National LPG Policy. It is aimed at providing direction for marketing and distribution of LPG in a safe and efficient manner to facilitate an increase in access to LPG nationwide. This will help achieve the policy goal, which is to ensure that at least 50 per cent of the populace has access to safe, clean and environmentally friendly LPG for domestic, commercial and industrial use by 2030. The CRM involves filling of LPG cylinders at designated bottling plants and then supplying consumers at specialised retail outlets where they will exchange their cylinders for a filled one. Other stakeholders at the forum demanded clarifications on how the recall of LPG consumers’ cylinders would be done, and how safety issues would be handled for the benefit of all.
Chief Executive Officer of NPA Hassan Tampuli, said safety and job creation were high on government’s agenda, culminating in the introduction and implementation of the CRM for LPG. He said as part of plans to address safety and increase the consumption of LPG, a market-driven structure to ensure safety and increase access of LPG to 50 per cent by 2030 is being developed. This he noted is to ensure the existence of robust and standard health, safety and environmental practices in the production, marketing and consumption of LPG”.
He assured that “The relevant licenses will be issued and safety protocols will be keenly observed while increasing access to LPG for domestic, commercial and industrial use. He reiterated that the CRM would not lead to job losses emphasising that “Direct job creation is estimated to be more than 4,500 in the value chain. Vice-Chairman of LPG Marketers Association Gabriel Kumi called for increased education on how to use LPG. Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, Deputy Minister of Energy appealed to all to support the government to roll out the CRM to address issues of safety in the LPG sector as well as create more jobs.
