The Vice Chairman of Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy, Mr. George Mireku Duker has hinted that government will provide 60,000 ultramodern cookstoves to Ghanaians free of charge.

According to him, the initiative will benefit ordinary Ghanaian with the assertion that these stoves will help reduce gas explosions in the country.

Debating the 2019 budget statement in Parliament on Thursday, November 22, 2018, Mr. Mireku Duker who is also the Member of Parliament for Tarkwa-Nsuaem expressed concern about how gas explosions in the country are claiming lives and properties.

Ghana has witnessed many gas explosions in recent times, resulting in hundreds losing their lives, while more than 500 people have been injured.

To curb this menace, Mr. Duker revealed that cabinet has approved the National Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Policy awaiting parliamentary approval to abolish the LPG Marketing Model.

"This policy seeks to abolish the LPG Marketing Model and replace it with the Cylinder Recirculation Model", he revealed.

He added "Mr. Speaker as at now we are curbing the explosions, quite recently, [a member of] the Marketing Association had his station burnt. One of them also took NPA to court and that has caused the delay of this policy, Mr. Speaker".

He assured the House "But we will not be disturbed by this obstacle but move on and by the close of the First Quarter in 2019, the Cylinder Recirculation Model will be fully operational".

He continued "Mr. Speaker, as I speak to you, we are having a Cylinder Bottling Plant, Cylinder Re-distributor and Cylinder Transporter; these are the valued changes that have been created. Mr. Speaker, licenses have been accordingly processed and in due course will be issued".

"Mr. Speaker, we have also done risk assessment exercises in all the ten Regions and the Ministry (Energy Ministry) in collaboration with National Petroleum Authority (NPA) is also considering providing 60,000 cook stoves and Mr. Speaker the poor is considered in this direction and that is what we called governance, Mr. Speaker", he stated.

He added "Mr. Speaker, we are not leaving any stone unturned, we are making sure that our local content policy is highly respected".

Background of Cylinder Recirculation Model

Under the CRM, LPG outlets will no longer be allowed to refill cylinders at their plants.

This is part of a comprehensive national policy aimed at halting gas explosions at gas filling outlets.

Under the policy, all cylinders will be filled by cylinder bottling plants for onward delivery to retail outlets.

What this means is that individuals, restaurants and organisations that use LPG cylinders will now go to LPG retail outlets with their empty cylinders, pick up filled ones and pay for them upfront.

The new method can be likened to the way some bottled drinks, such as Coca-Cola, are sold in Ghana.

This policy is being run successfully in Colombia, Peru, Cote d’Ivoire, Morocco and many countries across the globe.

Ghana has witnessed many gas explosions in recent times, resulting in hundreds losing their lives, while more than 500 people have been injured.