Business News of Tuesday, 6 September 2022

Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh

Deputy Energy Minister, William Owurakoo Aidoo has said government is working assiduously to ensure that at least 50 percent of Ghanaians have access to safe, clean and environmentally friendly LPG by the year 2030. Speaking at the launch of the National LPG Promotion Programme in Obuasi, the minister said government, over the past years, has undertaken programmes, activities, and initiatives toward promoting Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) as a safer, cleaner and healthier form of cooking fuel for households. According to the lawmaker for Afigya Kwabre South, the various promotional programmes carried out by Government over the years have led to some major investments and reforms in the LPG sector. Consequently, he disclosed that access to LPG has increased over the years to the current 25.3 percent. “We have a more ambitious target. In the National LPG Promotion Policy, Government has set a target that at least 50% of Ghanaians should have access to safe, clean, and environmentally friendly LPG for domestic, commercial and industrial usage by 2030” He continued “Government recognizes that the initial investment required to switch to the use of LPG remains a barrier. Ordinarily, the initial investment cost for a domestic user may include purchasing an LPG cylinder, cookstove, regulator, rubber hose and clippers” Mr Owurakoo further encouraged beneficiaries of the government intervention to sustain the use of LPG and not revert to firewood and charcoal. "LPG is the safest, cleanest and healthiest form of cooking fuel available today and we urge all Ghanaians to switch to LPG now." Meanwhile, government envisages that the rollout of the National LPG Promotion Programme using the Cylinder Recirculation Module as a vehicle for distribution will help Ghana achieve its goal in the use of LPG as a clean, safe and healthy cooking fuel. The move is also to satisfy Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7; which is affordable and clean energy and SDG 13; which is climate action. MA