The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mr. Alhassan Tampuli believes that the yet to be implemented Cylinder Re-circulation Model (CRM) under the National Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) policy will create over 4,500 direct jobs.
“Direct job creation is estimated to be over 4,500 in relation to new jobs under the actors of the new value chain and door to door delivery service. This does not affect current jobs of LPG Bulk Transporters, LPG Bulk Distribution Companies, and LPG Bulk Storage companies.”
The remarks were made by Samuel Asare Bediako, the Coordinator for Unified Petroleum Price Fund, on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority, at a town hall meeting organised by the NPA in the Central Region.
Ghana currently has about 650 LPG refilling stations nationwide. A number of gas explosions have been recorded in the last five years with Ghanaians calling for better handling of LPG.
Government is however introducing the Cylinder Re-circulation Model to help reduce such explosions and enhance safety.
The CRM according to Mr. Bediako 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.
He said it will also help to achieve the “policy goal which is to ensure that at least 50% of Ghanaians have access to safe, clean and environmentally friendly LPG for domestic, commercial and industrial usage by 2030.”
“You will agree with me that over the years, the Ghana petroleum downstream industry has witnessed a number of unfortunate accidents as a result of the misuse and inappropriate handling of petroleum products, especially Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Indeed we cannot forget the unfortunate incident of June 3rd 2015 in which a number of lives were lost. Neither can we forget the infamous ‘Atomic Junction Gas explosion’ which shook the country in the last quarter of 2017.”
“Another avoidable gas explosion occurred at trinity gas station in Krofrom in the Ashanti region, killing two people, injuring several others and properties worth millions of cedis destroyed. Distinguished invited guests, the issue of safety has been high on the agenda of His Excellency, President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government and this has culminated into the introduction and implementation of the Cylinder Recirculation Model for LPG,” he added.
Mr. Bediako said the policy will help develop a market-driven structure to ensure safety, increased access and adoption of LPG, enhance the capacity of existing regulatory institutions in order to enforce the regulatory requirements of the new market structure and ensure the existence of robust and standard Health, Safety and Environmental practices in the production, marketing and consumption of LPG.
He also said the policy will “ensure the sustainability of supply, and ensure local content and participation in the LPG sub-sector in compliance with the Downstream Local Content Policy.”